Birdhouse Investors is an initiative and operating model by 4H Finland, in which young 4H entrepreneurs build birdhouses and place them in locations where there is a shortage of bird nesting sites.
Photo: 4H Finland / Tiina Rinne
The 4H organization’s operating model was seen as an impressive way to build everyday nature activities through the young people’s own efforts. Birdhouse Investors combines the strengthening of biodiversity and youth agency in a way that is required by the challenges of today.
Saastamoinen Foundation has granted funding to 4H Finland for the development, piloting and expansion of the Birdhouse Investors activity for the years 2025–2028.
In the Birdhouse Investors activity, young 4H entrepreneurs build birdhouses and place them in locations where there is a lack of bird nesting sites. The activity supports values that are central to the Foundation. It is a concrete way to combine the strengthening of biodiversity and the opportunity for young people to learn, participate and see the results of their own work.
Fortifying young people’s belief in their possibilities
Birdhouse Investors builds social responsibility and faith in the future. It promotes the competence of children and young people, enabling them to learn entrepreneurship, nature knowledge and project management.
Strengthening the sense of agency of the youth is important to us, because future solutions require not only knowledge but also the will and ability to act. Young people who gain experience of success by doing things themselves carry it into adulthood. This initiative combines youth entrepreneurship education and employment with supporting biodiversity and young people’s relationship with nature.
Photo: 4H Finland / Tiina Rinne
Fast and visible impact
Biodiversity loss is a global crisis, the effects of which are already visible. We need solutions that do not remain at the level of plans, but become repetitive and replicable actions.
Many bird species suffer from a shortage of nesting sites. Properly targeted and carefully implemented nesting can improve nesting opportunities and support the vitality of the species.
The activity is targeted at species whose vitality can be genuinely supported by nesting and whose nests can be built safely and at reasonable costs by young people.
Birdhouse Investors is an example of an activity where impact is visible quickly: new nesting sites, new learning experiences and new defenders of nature are created.
In this easily scalable model, every euro invested produces both ecological and social benefits. It is an investment in the future, which young people themselves are involved in building.
Find more information about the project on the 4H website.
