In the quiet expanse of Northern Ostrobothnia in Finland, where birch forests whisper with the wind and rivers carve ancient paths, Rita Porkka has built more than a business—she has created a movement. As the CEO and founder of Naturest Ltd, Rita has turned her lifelong love of nature into a force for education, well-being, and sustainable development.
For years, Rita worked on rural development projects, weaving connections between communities, landscapes, and livelihoods. But after two decades, she felt a shift stirring inside her. “I wanted to do something different,” she recalls, her voice calm yet determined. “I had so much expertise and experience from my work, and I realised I could use it to create something of my own.”
That “something” became Naturest Ltd. Founded in 2020 with two other women, the company began by offering forest pedagogy—immersive, hands-on learning experiences for schoolchildren—and later expanded to international educational travel groups. Then the pandemic hit. “Overnight, everything changed,” Rita admits. “But it also pushed us to rethink our services and look closer to home.”
Today, Naturest has grown into a unique nature-based service company that blends environmental education with well-being practices rooted in the forest. From forest schools and creative workshops to rehabilitative nature care sessions for individuals and small groups, Rita and her all-women partner network have built a portfolio that combines business with deep social responsibility. In 2022, they added a new chapter: the Nature Café Loppula at the Sanginjoki nature conservation area, a space where visitors can connect with nature over coffee and conversation.
But behind the success story lies a set of challenges that many rural innovators will recognise. “The hardest part has been doing so much on my own,” Rita confesses. “Running a small business in the countryside can feel fragile—what happens if I fall ill, or something unexpected happens?” Her solution has been community. “I work closely with other small companies and entrepreneurs in the area. We support each other, and that network is what keeps us strong.”
For Rita, innovation is not about flashy technology—it’s about rethinking how communities engage with their natural surroundings. She sees Naturest as a platform not only for personal well-being but also for sharing sustainable practices across Finland and beyond. “When we work with international school groups, the ideas we share don’t stay in one forest,” she explains. “They travel home with the students, spreading awareness of sustainability across borders.”
This commitment extends beyond business. Rita has organised free events for Ukrainian refugee families, offered internships—including for immigrants—and made use of prison-made furniture to furnish Naturest spaces. She even provides discounts to public good associations, proving that profitability and social impact can walk hand in hand.
Rita’s vision has also found fertile ground in the European project FLIARA, which highlights the innovative capacity of women in farming and rural areas. “FLIARA has already given me so much,” she says with a smile. “I’ve met wonderful women, and I truly believe we’ll build new business opportunities together. More importantly, it shows the world how much talent we have in rural Europe.”
Looking ahead, Rita dreams of expanding Naturest’s impact, both in Finland and internationally. “My goal is to keep developing services that make people feel empowered and connected through nature,” she says. “And I hope projects like FLIARA continue to bring women together, because when we share our experiences, we become stronger.”
Her advice to aspiring innovators is both simple and profound: “Find people you can test your ideas with. Trust yourself. Create your own test groups if you need to. And most importantly—just go for it. You can do it.”
For Rita Porkka, the forest is more than a backdrop—it is both classroom and healer, a place where creativity and resilience take root. And with Naturest Ltd, she is ensuring that its lessons spread far beyond the trees.