We’ve been busy since last year’s tournaments, held in Finland, Germany and Canada! Since we got started with our mission back in 2015, we’ve now organized over 30 tournaments resulting in over €100,000 being donated to support climate action. We always search for impactful climate and biodiversity groups to throw our support behind.
Following 2023’s amazing year, we decided to step up our efforts. And what better way for Save Pond Hockey to save pond hockey?
We bought our own pond.
Nestled in the high north of Finland, Kuusamo’s Kontiosuo is the home of Save Pond Hockey’s saved ponds. And they aren’t just any ponds. These are ponds that sit on top of peat bogs – which are amazing carbon stores – the result of 1000s and 1000s of years. By donating profits of €20,000 from the 2023 Helsinki tournament, we’ve secured this wonderful area – to keep it protected for future generations.
Sounds pretty sweet, eh? Those 50 hectares, about the same size as 316 NHL ice rinks, are pretty special from a climate perspective. The area we’re protecting holds somewhere between 11,000 – 33,000 tonnes of carbon. That’s equivalent to 121 tonnes of CO2e – the same emissions that would come from driving a car to the moon 1300 times!
By snapping up this awesome home turf, we’ve also ensured this amazing carbon store will be preserved for the next generations!
This was done in partnership with the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation (Luonnonperintösäätiö). Ari-Pekka Auvinen told us “Kontiosuo is well-suited for Save Pond Hockey […]. The entire marsh is dotted with small open water ponds. With this one on the site it is difficult to even tell where the land begins and where the water ends”.
Not only is this an important carbon store that we’re protecting for future generations, it’s also a biodiversity hotspot, playing host to many endangered bird and plant species.
We hope you’ll follow along as we raise more awareness and funds for climate action in 2024 and beyond!
Sincerely,
Save Pond Hockey
