What do we do to conserve animal life in Kevitsa?
“The mining permit included a number of different requirements regarding the specific animal and plant species we should work proactively to conserve. For example, the local landscape, especially around nearby
Lake Satojärvi, is not only an important roost for migratory birds, but also a breeding ground. In 2019, we counted no fewer than 53 different species breeding in the area. We're trying to help them by building new nests to mitigate the impact of mining on bird life. It has entailed everything from building three artificial nests for golden eagles, to a great number of bird boxes modified to suit goldeneyes and smews."
Have these efforts produced visible results?
“We monitor the different species constantly and we've seen that the population of moor frogs around the mine is intact. Regarding the goldeneyes and smews, we were told by the Finnish nature conservation authority in September 2022, that our work not only compensated but also
exceeded the requirement for these two species, based on their status before we began our activities in the area. Meanwhile, other birds such as the tengmalm’s owl, various titmice, house sparrows and redstarts have used the nesting boxes.”
Why is Boliden’s work with biodiversity important?
“Fundamentally, a mine is always an intrusion in the environment, and our job is to make sure the effects are as small as possible, or even positive, during the time we borrow nature for our operations. Then
we have to restore things as far as we possibly can. This not only forms part of the conditions for the permit, but also part of our ambitious sustainability strategy. We cannot achieve this without endeavoring to live in symbiosis with nature.”