Article categories: News
Build a nest box for Vaasa’s wildlife – materials and guidance provided!
Published: 22.5.2026
Vaasa celebrates World Environment Day by inviting residents to build nest boxes together. The family-friendly nest box event will take place on Friday 5 June 2026 from 17 to 19 at Hietalahti Park, in front of the Brage Open-Air Museum car park.
The nest boxes are assembled from ready-made parts, making them easy for children to build too. During the event, coffee, juice, and sweet treats will be on offer. There is no need to register in advance, and families are warmly invited to drop by and take part.
Nest boxes for small birds will be given to participants to take home, while the city will install the remaining ones in suitable locations in Vaasa’s woods and parks. A limited number of nest boxes will be available to build and take home. Finished nest boxes for bats and flying squirrels will also be on display.
More nesting sites for a changing urban environment
City planners and nature experts from the City of Vaasa will be at the event and happy to chat about current planning projects and how nature is taken into account in city planning.
– We want to show how urban planning can actively support biodiversity. New planning projects can reduce habitats for birds and mammals, and one way to offset this is to provide nest boxes as alternative nesting sites, says Anna Myllymäki, Planning Architect.
Vaasan ympäristöseura environmental society will also be there, sharing tips and guidance on building nest boxes.
The Green Leaf Year calls for joint action
The event celebrates Vaasa’s Green Leaf Year 2026 – a year full of shared experiences and events. Throughout the year, the city encourages residents to get involved in environmental action.
By building nest boxes, people in Vaasa can do something good for nature in a hands-on, practical way. The event will also offer tips on making your own nest boxes, along with information about Vaasa’s nature and how everyone can help support biodiversity through their everyday actions.
Adding nest boxes to the urban environment is part of the goals of the City of Vaasa’s LUMO biodiversity programme. The aim of the programme is to protect and strengthen biodiversity by safeguarding habitats and supporting ecological networks, among other measures.
Vaasa is a European Green Leaf City for 2026. The European Commission awards this recognition annually to cities that promote sustainable development and work actively to protect the environment and climate.