Google cleared 250,000 trees for a Finnish data centre, Guardian reports

Google cleared an estimated 250,000 trees at its planned data centre site in Muhos, northern Finland, before finishing the required environmental assessment. Miranda Bryant reported this for the Guardian from the site. The clearing covers 330 hectares, about 400 metres from the Oulujoki river. Google removed the topsoil too.

Mari Annala is an ecologist with the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL). She estimates that Google felled about 150,000 more trees at its second site, in Otanmäki near Kajaani. Because…