Activity 1. Collation of marine data from the project area
The aim of this activity is to gather and organize available relevant marine data from the project area so that we can identify where the largest knowledge gaps are.
About the project
Our goal
Our goal is to test and develop methods for efficient monitoring, conservation and restoration of biodiversity in shallow coastal waters with a focus on
- Threatened species and habitats
- Invasive alien species
Project area
We work on the shallow coastal sea floors of the northern Gulf of Bothnia, from Haparanda and Tornio in the north to Nordmaling and Kristiinankaupunki in the south.
Project partners and financiers
The project joins expertise of marine biological and geological management in Finland and Sweden.
Partners
- Centre for Economic development, Transport and the Environment Northern Ostrobothnia
- Centre for Economic development, Transport and the Environment Southern Ostrobothnia
- County Administrative Board of Norrbotten (lead partner)
- County Administrative Board of Västerbotten
- Geological Survey of Finland
- Geological Survey of Sweden
Financiers
The project is funded by Interreg Aurora with a total budget of € 3 062 493.
The project time is three years, January 2023 – December 2025.
Co-financiers are:
Project activities
Click on the pictures below to learn more about our different activities and what we do within the project.
Activity 2. Collecting marine data from the coastal waters
We want to improve the knowledge about macrophyte species occurrence and abundance as well as seafloor characteristics (e.g. depth and substrate) in the project region, especially in areas that currently have major knowledge gaps.
Activity 3. Mapping and monitoring shallow coastal areas with drones and satellites
Traditional inventory methods to map underwater vegetation, such as snorkeling and scuba diving, are expensive and time consuming. It would take a long time and cost a fortune to map the whole project area in such a detail. The aim of this activity is therefore to explore and develop remote sensing methods for mapping and monitoring shallow coastal areas in our project area.
Activity 4. Conservation management of species and habitats
The project area houses many rare and threatened species and habitats listed in the Habitats Directive annexes. Some of these species, such as Baltic water-plantain and the aquatic leaf beetle, have their main area of occurrence in the northern parts of the Gulf of Bothnia. The knowledge of the listed species varies, and for some the data on distribution and population sizes is scarce.
Activity 5. Restoration of species and habitats
Restoration may have great impact on the marine environment. By restoring key habitats we may create postitive cascade effects throughout the surrounding environment. In this activity we will test different types of restoration actions to tackle different problems. We hope to help both authorities and private actors perform successful restorations in the future.