Wolves Reported in Finnish Villages After Google Forest Clearing for Data Centers

Residents of several Finnish villages say wolves and other wild animals have begun wandering into their communities after Google cleared large areas of forest for new AI data centers, according to a report in The Guardian. The clearings have also drawn an apology from the company's Finland country manager.

The apology concerns unauthorized tree removal near Muhos, where 816 acres of woodland have been turned into an expanse of mud. Google has also been told to stop work at a second site, where roughly 500 acres of forest have been cleared near the village of Otanmäki.

Anni Ranta, 53, whose family has lived in Otanmäki for generations, described the change to The Guardian. "We had wolves coming into the village because all the wild animals moved out of the forest," she said. Ranta also worries that the U.S.-owned data centers could make Finland a more attractive target for Russian aggression.

Some families see the animals' arrival as a safety problem for people living in the countryside. The Guardian's report also cites other complaints from locals, including construction and factory noise, streams turning brown, and rare birds being driven away.

A representative of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL) told The Guardian that Google's disregard for environmental rules has been unprecedented and clear. The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV) appears to share that view, having ordered the company to halt development near both Muhos and Otanmäki.

Earlier this month, Tom's Hardware reported that the LVV had given Google notice to stop construction in Muhos and in Kajaani, which lies near Otanmäki.

A Google spokesperson said the company intends to cooperate. "We will fully comply with LVV's requests in this matter," they said, adding: "We look forward to maintaining an active, open dialogue with all authorities to strengthen our partnership with Finland and local organizations."

Finland is not the first place where AI data center construction has prompted complaints about environmental effects. Similar concerns have been raised across the United States and in other countries, as developers move quickly to build capacity for artificial intelligence.