The founding organisations of Siemenpuu
The Siemenpuu Foundation was founded in 1998 by fifteen Finnish non-governmental organisations working in the areas of environment and development:
BirdLife Finland aims to promote bird watching, bird research and the protection of birds, their habitats and biological diversity. It is a partner of BirdLife International.
Dodo
Dodo is a dynamic, modern environmental organisation that avoids black-and-white views of the world. Dodo approaches environmental issues in an open-minded way, trying to find new perspectives. Dodo relies on the power of factual discussion. Public events, discussion groups and projects are typical of Dodo.
The Swallows of Finland, founded in 1964, is one of the oldest Finnish development cooperation NGOs. Its work is based on an equal and long-term partnership with the Southern organisations. It aims at promoting a more equal world at grassroot level.
The Service Centre for Development Cooperation, Kepa
Kepa is a service base for Finnish NGOs interested in development work and global issues. Over 270 such organisations belong to Kepa. It acts as a trustee and spokesperson for its member organisations as well as providing them with training and advice. Kepa campaigns together with other organisations for a more just world. In its development policy work, Kepa aims to transform the structures that cause and sustain inequality in the world. It has country offices in Nicaragua, Tanzania and Mozambique as well as staff working in Zambia and the Mekong region.
The Finnish Nature League is a nature activity and conservation organisation for children and youth. Within the Nature League anyone can participate in activities related to for instance forests, climate, the Baltic Sea, sustainable consumption and wild beasts.
WWF´s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet´s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by: conserving the world´s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. WWF’s work covers many different areas from policy work to campaigning, on-the-ground action to education and capacity building.
The Friends of the Earth is an NGO, which offers people an opportunity to act for an ecologically more sustainable, more just and more democratic world. The Friends of the Earth Finland is part of the Friends of the Earth International, which is formed by groups from approximately 70 countires from all the continents. The Friends of the Earth International was founded over 30 years ago.
The Finnish Society for Nature and Environment
The Finnish Society for Nature and Environment is a national Environmental Citizens Organisation (ECO). Most of its 4 000 members belong to the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland. It campaigns and shares information in Swedish, participates in the national discussions on environmental issues and does environmental education work.
The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation
The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation is Finland’s biggest NGO working for the benefit of nature. It has defended the Finnish nature already for 70 years.
Tinku Finland aims to increase the awareness of the Andean region’s cultures, civilisation and popular movements. Tinku is an Aymara and Kechua word meaning the encountering of different powers: reciprocity, multiculturality and learning from each other.
The Finnish Association for Environmental Education, SYKSE
The Finnish Association for Environmental Education is the only Finnish organisation specialised in promoting, developing and supporting of environmental education. Sykse aims to increase the number of motivated Finnish educators able to pass on to children and young people the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for sustainable development. See here for a Brief on SYKSE and a Brief of the Eco Schools Programme.
Technology for Life is a Finnish NGO interested in the effects of technology to the society and environment. Its aims are: to promote the use of technology that improves the conditions of living of mankind, to increase justice and strengthen peace and to enhance the ethical awareness of people working in the field of technology.
The New Wind is an organisation attempting to sustain the world´s best traditions: community cohesion/helping each other, hospitality, caring, revel, adventure and learning. The main objective of the organisation is to work as an ideal coalition, as well as to promote international solidarity, fair international economic arrangements, peace, and mutual understanding between people and nations. In order to promote these, the organization has renovated Estelle, owned by Eestaas oy, into a navigable, seaworthy sailing ship that can be used for promoting fair trade and transporting equipment from Europe to developing countries, and fair trade goods from developing countries to Europe.
The Green Cultural Association
The Green Cultural Association, ViSiLi maintains The Green Cultural and Educational Centre, ViSiO. Our member field consists of regional and local green party organisations, The Finnish Green League, immigrant organisations and organisations promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
The Coalition for Environment and Development
The Coalition for Environment and Development aims to look for approaches where abolishment of poverty and protection of the environment are combined. Protecting the environment in a way that makes people’s livelihoods impossible is not sustainable. On the other hand economical activities destructive to the environment cannot create sustainable jobs for anyone. The Coalition for Environment and Development is a small NGO that provides small amounts of support to projects it considers important in the Third world.