‘Villi Stadi’ literally translated into English means ’Wild Helsinki’ in Helsinki slang. Villi Stadi is a registered organisation and citizen-led movement which aims to bring attention to Helsinki’s wild natural spaces, inviting city dwellers to explore their local urban forests, meadows, rocks, islands, wetlands, waterways and coastline and notice the positive impact of bringing a little wilderness into their daily urban lives.
We have decided to classify urban wilderness as an area that is mostly left in its natural state, untamed and barely maintained. We also want to emphasise that size matters. For us, an urban wilderness should allow you to forget, for a moment, that you are in a capital city, even if you have to pretend that any road noise you hear is wind.
Villi Stadi has started to create this website to:
Villi Stadi is also involved in various projects, festivals, events, treks, activities, workshops and interventions either as a key organiser, co-producer, collaborator or moral supporter. All of these projects are in tune with Villi Stadi’s vision of a wild, green, vibrant and healthy city. You are welcome to participate in any of them. They are listed on our projects page and also on our events calendar.
So now we invite you to join the urban wild, go outside, get inspired and inspire!