Ruokohelmi III

We improve the quality of habitats

Duration of the project

15.5.2024. – 31.10.2025

Source of funding

ELY Centre

Total funding

119 000 €

The aim of the ‘Food Pearl III’ project is to improve the quality of habitats in water bodies, beaches, reedbeds and riparian pastures, as in previous ‘Food Pearl’ projects. The restoration work will focus in particular on the restoration of grasslands and surrounding meadows and riparian areas in bird waters. The target areas are the northern shores of Turku’s Ruissalo and the Rauvola Bay area shared by Turku and Kaarina, which are Natura 2000 sites.

In the Rauvola Bay area, the aim is to extend an existing small wetland. In addition, mowing and restoration of the lake reed will remove nutrients from the cycle and reduce methane emissions from the old layer of reed that decays in layers each year. In Ruissalo, it is planned to mow the lake reed and test the beneficial use of the mown lake reed by exporting the reed biomass from the water from Ruissalo by water to an energy fraction for an incinerator. The aim is to ensure the continued management of both mowing sites through grazing.

The project will also include reforestation of the reedbeds in the restored and grazed areas of the previous Food Pearl project in Piikkiön-Kuusistonlahti and Brattnäsinlahti in Parainen.