The first year of the action plan got off to a fast start – Read about the successes of 2024

The fourth operational period of the Baltic Sea Challenge started a year ago in January 2024. During the year, Turku and Helsinki launched several measures of the Baltic Sea Programme. Read about the successes below.

The Baltic Sea Challenge programme includes a total of 27 measures that cities will implement by the end of 2028. During the first year of the programme, Turku launched 18 measures and Helsinki 23. One operation was also completed in both cities.

The first year involved several city units and other partners in the protection of the Baltic Sea. Network work also got off to a fast start, as a total of 56 organisations updated their commitment to the Baltic Sea Challenge with a total of almost 400 measures.

Highlights of Turku’s successes:

• The adequacy of water protection in the criteria for renting agricultural land was reviewed and at the same time other municipalities in the Archipelago Sea catchment area were challenged to join in making their lease terms more favourable to the Baltic Sea
• The eDNA method was used to find out the species of streams and the moor frogs (Rana arvalis) in Lake Illoinen
• The Coastrider method was used to investigate the quality of coastal waters off Turku in cooperation with Turku University of Applied Sciences and other coastal municipalities
• Baltic Sea study trip for upper secondary school teachers was organised in The Archipelago Sea Research Station at Seili
• Restoration of Savojärvi regulating dam completed
• The Kuninkoja urban stream was renovated as part of the city’s Biodiversity programme as a KuntaHelmi project
  
  

Highlights of Helsinki’s successes:

• Restoration of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in Hevosenkenkälahti in Lauttasaari in cooperation with Metsähallitus and the John Nurminen Foundation
• Construction site water guidelines for the Helsinki Metropolitan Area were introduced
• Water protection criteria were added to the agreements on leased fields: buffer zones, crop rotation, abandonment of glyphosate
• The condition of the septic tanks provided by the city was inspected and repairs were made
• The waste management of small marinas and the infrastructure offered to restaurant ships were increased
• Studies on the ecological and chemical state of the blue network were carried out