Kati Skippari, who took up the post of environmental director for the city of Tampere at the beginning of March, is in good spirits. She now has a job that she dreamed of when she was young. Skippari was in her first year of high school in Ylöjärvi when she had an "environmental awakening" and realized that the environment must be protected so that it can be preserved for future generations.
– I didn’t think I would end up working for the government or as an environmental director, though, Kati Skippari smiles.
At university, a lecturer predicted that "boot-wearing biologists" dedicated to nature conservation would never gain employment. Nevertheless, Kati persisted with her studies in biology, ecology, hydrobiology, and environmental conservation.
– I started out in water conservation, then life led me to government work. I believe that I get to do work where I can have an impact on the state of the environment and the well-being of people and nature, says Kati Skippari.
Kati Skippari, who has been environmental manager since 2022, became deputy environmental director just over a year ago when the previous director retired. First for a few months, and then again for almost a year.
As deputy, Skippari has guided the service group through cooperation negotiations and the merging of units.
– When changes had to be made in the organization, we tried to make them in a way that would promote cooperation.
The new climate policy and environmental protection unit of the Sustainable City service group has an overall view of environmental care. The environmental control and regional waste management unit carries out official work and prepares decisions.
– We have created units of a suitable size and appointed experienced managers, Laura Inha and Anu Toppila, says Skippari.
The service group will continue to provide environmental health care services: food control, veterinary care, and health protection.
At the same time, the climate and nature team has been working on updating climate and environmental policy guidelines, the biodiversity (LUMO) program, and the extensive nature conservation area program. The city board will discuss these in March.
– The guidelines complement Tampere's overall ecological sustainability strategy and bring together the city's key ecological sustainability goals. The achievement of these goals will be monitored annually, says Skippari.
Kati Skippari has spent her career working in environmental protection for the state and public administration. Kati came to Tampere as environmental manager from her position as environmental manager in Lempäälä. Her duties there also included those of building control manager.
From smaller municipalities, Kati Skippari brought with her the understanding that environmental issues as a whole: preserving a good environment and working with the authorities are two sides of the same coin.
– The sustainable city concept supports the well-being of people, animals, and nature.
Kati Skippari, who describes herself as conciliatory and solution-oriented, wants to talk openly about even difficult issues. There are plenty of those when the goals are big. In promoting climate and nature work, Kati Skippari wants the service group to use its limited resources effectively.
– We have good action plans, such as the Climate Neutral Tampere 2030 roadmap and the Biodiversity program. Once everyday life is back on track, I hope we will be able to support other units in implementing the most effective measures, says Skippari.
On remote working days at home in Lempäälä, Kati is joined by her miniature poodle, Vappu. She shares the household with Leo the cat. The children have already left or are about to leave home, and the youngest of the three is already a high school graduate.
In her free time, Kati hikes and skis in the wilderness, sings in a choir, goes to the gym, and reads. For over a year, their weekend retreat has been a log cabin in the woods in Jämsänkoski.
