The whole house helps raise: At Oivanki, Everyone knows dustainability requires a collective effort

Tourism in Ruka-Kuusamo is founded upon the region’s magnificent natural attractions. Hence, the promotion of responsible tourism is especially important for local tourism businesses. Through the Sustainable Travel Finland program (STF) by Visit Finland, companies can incorporate sustainable practices and responsible choices into their daily operations.

The umbrella organization of Youth Centre Oivanki is "Suomen nuorisokeskukset" (Finnish Youth Centres), whose values include safety, responsibility, and operating in a sustainable manner. According to Seija Härkönen, who works in Oivanki’s development tasks, these values have created a solid foundation for the centre’s sustainability work – long before Oivanki received the Green Key environmental certificate and now the Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) label.

At Oivanki, sustainable development is part of everything from waste sorting to activities. Today, the centre increasingly favors activities in the nearby surroundings that do not require bus transport or snowmobiles. However, the STF program requires more than responsible action – it demands that actions can be demonstrated online, on social media, and on‑site through signage and guidance. Oivanki’s young visitors appreciate this transparency.

“Young people are incredibly smart. They sometimes come up with even better sustainability ideas than adults,” Härkönen says.

Eutrophication and Restoration of Lake Elijärvi: A Living Example

Oivanki has hosted camps and school groups since the 1970s. In 1982, it officially began its operations, specializing in nature, adventure, and experiential activities.

During its more than 40 years, the centre has witnessed the changes that can occur when lake environments are not treated responsibly.

Beautiful Lake Elijärvi, on whose shore the centre is located, began to suffer from eutrophication over the decades, diminishing its recreational value. Blue‑green algae spoiled the swimming waters in summer, and low oxygen levels under winter ice weakened fish populations.

Oivanki took concrete action, and several restoration projects ultimately improved the lake’s condition. An aeration system was installed to maintain winter oxygen levels high enough to prevent phosphorus from dissolving from the sediments back into the water. Higher oxygen levels also support a healthy fish population.

Fishing rights to the lake are leased from the local fisheries cooperative. Today, the fish stock is maintained through stocking and the removal of cyprinid fish. Predatory fish populations are strengthened through fishing restrictions.

“Elijärvi is extremely important to us. In summer we go canoeing, and in winter we have an ice‑swimming spot there. You can fish from the shore or from a boat,” Härkönen says.

Accessible and Year‑Round

Like many other companies in Kuusamo, Youth Centre Oivanki’s high season falls in late winter and early spring. However, the centre is actively developing year‑round operations. It is participating in a Naturpolis project to design programs for the dark period of late autumn and early winter.

“For city kids or young visitors from Asia, it’s a huge experience to go ice fishing in the dark evening and then warm up by a hut with hot cocoa and fry the fish they caught themselves,” Härkönen explains.

Beyond expanding year‑round activities, Oivanki places strong emphasis on accessibility. Accessibility assessments cover not only buildings but also nature areas – fishing spots, for example, must be reachable without barriers.

For Oivanki, serving all visitor groups and promoting equal, accessible tourism is essential.

“In addition to physical aspects, accessibility also means providing information in different languages on the website, which improves the overall accessibility of the place,” Härkönen adds.

The Whole Area Helps Raise

Oivanki’s slogan “The whole house helps raise” describes well the idea that sustainability work requires everyone’s participation – no one can do it on someone else’s behalf.

The slogan could even be expanded to cover the entire Ruka‑Kuusamo region: “The whole area helps raise”. Social responsibility means, for example, purchasing activity services from other responsible local tourism operators. Social responsibility evolves into economic responsibility when money stays in the region and strengthens its vitality.

Härkönen believes the STF destination label would enable even smoother collaboration based on shared nature values among all regional operators.

“It would be fantastic if as many as possible joined the STF program. Many are already doing great sustainability work – they just haven't made it visible. The framework and guidelines for achieving the STF label are clear, but the work is something no one else can do for another company. You just need to be ready to reserve enough time alongside other tasks,” she encourages.

Read more:
Sustainable Tourism in Ruka-Kuusamo
Oivanki Youth Centre

Published: 30 Oct 2025
Text: Pauliina Toivanen
Photo: Oivanki Youth Centre