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The rising prices of mineral fertilizers and the recent concerns over the security of food supply have increased the need to recycle nutrients that originate in agriculture. Through nutrient recycling, we can improve the self-sufficiency of domestic food production, and protect waterways from eutrophication. The current agricultural subsidy system, however, does not promote recycling. The John Nurminen Foundation’s Manure Recycling project presents a set of solutions for this problem.

Approximately two thirds of the phosphorus that causes eutrophication in the Baltic Sea and our inland waters originates in agriculture. The phosphorus load entering the Baltic Sea from cities and industries has been considerably reduced during the past 40 years, but discharge runoff from agriculture has hardly been curbed at all.

High loads from agriculture are maintained by the concentrations of livestock farms in South-West Finland, Satakunta, and Ostrobothnia. In these areas, a surplus of manure and nutrients is created, surpassing the needs of the crops that are farmed in the area. Excess nutrients enter waterways with runoff, and cause eutrophication.

“We are not talking about farmers using too much synthetic fertilizers in their fields out of ignorance.  Fertilizers are costly, and in recent times, the prices have only been going up”, explains Marjukka Porvari, former Director of Marine Environment at the John Nurminen Foundation.

As the prices of synthetic fertilizers go up, and availability is increasingly scarce, organic manure fertilizers should be put more efficiently into use in areas where there is a surplus of nutrients. This would improve the finances of the farmers, emergency supply readiness, and the status of the waterways.

“Phosphorus is readily available in Finland, but being dependent on Russia and Belarus for nitrogen and potassium has now become a problem that affects all of Europe.  Now, more than ever, all the nutrients from manure should be carefully utilized in as many hectares as possible, but the rapidly increasing cost of transportation has presented a major challenge”, says Olli Niskanen, Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland.

Current agricultural subsidy system does not promote manure fertilizer recycling

Recycling nutrients to crop farms further away is halted by the costs of processing and transportation. Through processing, the nutrient balance of the manure can be improved so that transportation further away becomes possible; the processing, however, takes up a lot of energy.

Based on the experiences from the John Nurminen Foundation’s Manure Recycling project, manure processing is the largest individual contributor to the total cost of manure recycling, which is why hardly any livestock farms process manure.

“The most important issue stopping nutrients from being recycled is the current agricultural subsidy policy. The “manure bomb” that causes eutrophication in the waterways could be dismantled with a fraction of the annual funding for agricultural environments and projects if the funding was redirected to solving the financial hindrances that are in the way of manure nutrient recycling”, says Porvari.

Finland’s proposal for a new agricultural subsidy system for the years 2023-2027 has been heavily criticized by the European Commission, which claims that the proposed initiatives are not enough to improve the status of the Baltic Sea. The Commission expects Finland to present clear goals and tangible actions that reduce nutrient runoff, and requests that Finland include measures that improve nutrient recycling and the use of organic nutrients in the programme.

“In Finland, the dialogue on agriculture often positions environmental protection as being opposed to the profitability of agriculture. The recycling of manure nutrients promotes both the good status of the Baltic Sea and Finland’s waterways, and the self-sufficiency and profitability of Finnish agriculture. The green transition cannot, however, be implemented, if it is not made available to the producers through their own subsidy system”, says Porvari.

More livestock farms recruited for nutrient recycling pilot

The John Nurminen Foundation, which focuses on saving the Baltic Sea, develops nutrient recycling in cooperation with crop and livestock farmers. The Foundation’s Manure Recycling project has identified suitable pairs of livestock and crop farms as the originator and recipient of processed, phosphorus-rich dry manure.

The project’s concrete recycling measures seek to outline the costs and bottlenecks related to manure recycling. With this information, we develop practical solutions and societal steering mechanisms which enable us to utilize manure nutrients more efficiently in the future.

“The project has created opportunities for more environmentally friendly farming. Organic fertilizers also improve the growing condition of soils where mineral fertilizers have been used. Farmers need support in the transition to organic fertilizers, and it is great to see how this project supports that change”, says crop farmer and project participant Kari Mutkala.

The project is currently looking for more pig and poultry farmers to join the Manure Recycling project on the southwest and western coasts of Finland. In this area, livestock farming creates more manure than can be utilized by the crop fields located nearby.

In practice, the farmers themselves will take care of manure transportation, spreading, and, if necessary, short-term storage. The John Nurminen Foundation provides dry manure processing and transportation cost support for the producers.

In 2011, the Foundation began investigating the possibilities of reducing discharges from livestock farms in the Leningrad region. Four high-risk poultry farms, identified by the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission HELCOM as the largest potential sources of discharges for the Baltic Sea, were chosen as targets.

In the end, the location selected for the project was the Udarnik poultry farm in the village of Pobeda, close to Vyborg: nutrient discharges from this facility to the rivers and the lakes of the area had been identified to be extremely large. According to the estimates of the Finnish Environment Institute, as much as 10 to 20 tonnes of phosphorus were discharged annually from the poultry farm to the surrounding waterways. Chicken manure had been stored on the poultry farm’s grounds ever since the 1970s, when the poultry farm began operations.

A study on how to improve manure handling was begun in June 2012. In addition to the support from the John Nurminen Foundation, the Udarnik poultry farm project received additional funding in the spring of 2012 from the Baltic Sea Action Plan Trust Fund, established by the states of Sweden and Finland.

During 2013, the Foundation and the owners of the Udarnik poultry farm joined forces to investigate the options for minimising the risk of runoff to the environment from the manure pools and the fields used for spreading manure. In 2014, the decision was made to manage the runoff waters with a filtering system, based on a mineral-based filtering material that is used in wastewater treatment in sparsely populated areas in Sweden. After use, the filtering material and the phosphorus that has precipitated therein can be used as fertilizer in cultivated fields, so that the nutrients can be recycled back to use in agriculture.

In 2014, a filter was constructed at the farm for phosphorus and solids runoff coming from cultivated fields by way of ditches. The filtering system for the manure pools was completed in 2017.

Lisätietoja:

Henri Nikkonen

Project Manager, agriculture

henri.nikkonen@jnfoundation.fi +358 50 553 3953

Surplus manure created in livestock production is a challenge for many meat-producing farms. Transporting slurry to fields is cost-efficient only when distances are fairly short. This is why the volumes of fertilizer that is spread on fields in areas with a lot of animal farming exceed the needs of the plants, especially when it comes to phosphorus. This, in turn, leads to phosphorus levels in the fields going up, hand in hand with increasing nutrient discharges to the waterways.

If manure is processed in a way that increases its phosphorus content but reduces its total mass, its spreading area can be expanded to cover fields that are further away and low on phosphorus.

In the Manure Recycling project the John Nurminen Foundation will work together with pig and plant farms that are also interested in developing such operations further. The animal farms joining the project are of the type where more manure phosphorus is generated than what is needed by the plants in nearby fields. Processed manure will be transferred to the fields of the participating plant farms where there is demand for phosphorus fertilizer and added organic carbon. Activities are based on agreements between the John Nurminen Foundation and the participating farms.

The Manure Recycling project will target, in particular, the manure-producing farms in the animal-farming hubs of Southwest and Western Finland; these are also key for the nutrient discharges of the Archipelago Sea and the Bothnian Sea. The plant farms that receive the manure are located in areas with a nutrient deficit. In order to minimize nutrient runoff, manure spreading will be done in the spring.

The goal is both to create local environmental benefits by improving the status of waterways and soil, and to reduce the nutrient loads that end up in the Baltic Sea.  Another objective of the project is to create information and operational models for improving the nutrient balance of livestock production throughout Finland.

In 2023, the project moved a total of 2200 m3 of processed phosphorus-rich dry manure from three pig farms to 10 plant farms. The quantity contained approximately 5,600 kg of phosphorus.

The Satakunta Manure Recycling Pilot 2020

In 2020, a manure recycling pilot was implemented in the Satakunta region in cooperation with the Foundation’s partners HKScan Agrofood Ecosystem®, the company’s pork contract manufacturer Emomylly Oy, and Raisio. 510 tonnes of separated pig manure were transferred from Huittinen to a grain farm in Sastamala. With the solid manure fraction, the crop farm received valuable phosphorus and organic matter for their fields. At the same time, nutrient runoff to the Baltic Sea was reduced.

The Baltic Sea Day unites and celebrates the unique sea with hundreds of events. The aim of the day is to draw attention to the Baltic Sea, why protecting it is important, and the culture and identity of the Baltic Sea.

The Baltic Sea Day is celebrated annually on the last Thursday of August, this year on 31 August. The joint celebrations will be attended by a large number of participants from countries bordering the Baltic Sea. On Baltic Sea Day, we are reminded of the importance of international cooperation to improve the state of the Baltic Sea.

“The state of The Baltic Sea can be influenced through national decision-making, and the new Government Programme contains ambitious measures to protect the Baltic Sea. We still also need international cooperation and diplomacy to save our common sea. It’s delightful to see that the Baltic Sea Day brings together people and countries bordering the Baltic Sea”, says Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Climate and the Environment of Finland.

Joint morning gathering in Helsinki

The Baltic Sea Day starts with a morning gathering held in English at the City of Helsinki Event Square. The event can be attended on site or followed live on Helsinki-channel from 9.00 to 10.45. The event will be opened by Mayor of Helsinki Juhana Vartiainen, followed by greetings from other cities bordering the Baltic Sea and the Åland Islands and an update on the state of the sea by the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM).

“The Baltic Sea is an essential part of Helsinki, Helsinki’s urban culture and identity. Together with city of Turku Helsinki started a Baltic Sea Challenge programme to protect our common sea in year 2007. We are still committed to reduce the nutrient load into the sea together with cities of Turku and Tallinn. We will have to make use of all means to improve the condition the Baltic Sea and its shores”, says Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki.

Baltic Sea Day will also kick off the two-week Save Our Sea campaign together with coastal cities of the Baltic Sea and the global NGO Let’s Do It World. The campaign features various events, including coastal cleanup drives and seminars.

The Baltic Sea can be celebrated in many ways

During the day, hundreds of events are organised around the Baltic Sea. In addition to events, on Baltic Sea Day, everyone is encouraged to take part in activities that involve the Baltic Sea. Take a dip in the sea, cook a Baltic Sea-friendly lunch or dinner with vegetables and sustainably caught wild fish, or celebrate Baltic Sea Day in your own way.

In order to keep the Baltic Sea in mind also during the rest of the year, we are collecting pledges to the Baltic Sea on social media. You can publish your own pledge of an everyday act for the good of the Baltic Sea with the tag #BalticSeaDay.

Celebrating the Baltic Sea for five years

The goal of the Baltic Sea Day, established five years ago by the John Nurminen Foundation, is to bring attention to important issues related to the sea in various forums and inspire concrete actions for the benefit of the Baltic Sea.

“We launched the Baltic Sea Day to inspire people to enjoy our unique sea across the entire Baltic Sea basin, from headwaters to the open sea. At the same time, we want to draw attention to the fact that the health of the Baltic Sea needs the help of each and every one of us. That is why we encourage decision-makers and citizens across national borders to take concrete actions for the good of the Baltic Sea. Baltic Sea Day has grown into a great event that brings together countries, cities, organisations and citizens,” says Annamari Arrakoski-Engardt, CEO of the John Nurminen Foundation.

More Information:

The Archipelago Sea is not doing well: diffuse pollution from agriculture in its catchment area is the last of Finland’s hot spots listed by HELCOM, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission. We need wide-ranging collaboration to enhance the state of the Archipelago Sea.

The Archipelago Sea is not doing well: diffuse pollution from agriculture in its catchment area is the last of Finland’s hot spots listed by HELCOM, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission. We need wide-ranging collaboration to enhance the state of the Archipelago Sea.

The three-year project will reduce agricultural nutrient runoff into the water system in collaboration with agricultural operators in Southwest Finland. The Pellon Perintö project will implement the most effective measures on the agricultural water protection road map in the Uskelanjoki River catchment area in collaboration with local agricultural entrepreneurs, such as livestock producers and arable farmers.

The John Nurminen Foundation will help local agricultural operators implement the most effective water protection measures, such as using soil conditioners, recycling manure nutrients, and reducing erosion. The goal is to improve soil health for arable farmers and help livestock farmers identify solutions for processing excess manure nutrients. This will help us reduce the impact of agriculture on the water system and sustainably boost the profitability of farms.

Uskelanjoki River runs through the Salo and Somero areas and flows into Halikonlahti Bay. The aim is to work with agricultural producers in the region to identify solutions that support their livelihoods while reducing pollution. If these methods were widely implemented throughout the Archipelago Sea catchment area, Finland could shake off its hot spot status. The project aims to reduce the phosphorus load discharged from the river into the Archipelago Sea by 36 tonnes.

Artists Following the Traces of Cultural Heritage

The Pellon Perintö project will also journey through the varied landscapes of Uskelanjoki River with artists Kati Rapia and Ilona Valkonen. The goal is to produce a story-based photograph exhibition showcasing the memories and experiences of the people who live and work in the area.

Kati Rapia is finnish visual artist using drawing, photography, comics, collages and animation in her works. She is a graduate of University of Art and Design in Helsinki (Aalto University). She has been awarded by the State Prize of comics art in 2018.

Ilona Valkonen is a visual artist who describes herself as a collector of phenomena. She creates art that she herself wants to experience. Valkonen studied at the Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki, and is known for both conceptual installations and more traditional paintings.

The artists have created photographic works in their joint Vieno Motors project, using trash collected from the shores of the Baltic Sea together with local youth.

More information:

Maija Salmiovirta

Project Manager

maija.salmiovirta@jnfoundation.fi +358 44 203 2213

Gypsum treatment of fields has been proven to be an effective method for reducing nutrient runoff into the Baltic Sea. The method, which has been successful in Finland, is now being tested in other coastal countries around the Baltic Sea.

Gypsum treatment improves soil structure and helps bind phosphorus, which is one of the main contributors to eutrophication in the Baltic Sea, into the soil. When phosphorus is bound into the soil, less phosphorus leaches into water bodies, thus reducing nutrient load. The application of gypsum can even halve the amount of phosphorus and solids that end up in the water. This method has been shown to be effective, and its positive impact on the soil can last for up to five years. Despite its success in Finland, gypsum treatment is still a relatively unknown water protection method in many other countries around the Baltic Sea.

In the GYPREG project, field gypsum treatment is being researched and implemented in Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. The project also explores local sources of gypsum in these countries. It is led by the Finnish Environment Institute and involves seven partners from different countries. GYPREG is funded by the EU’s Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme, which supports cross-border cooperation for improving the state of coastal areas and marine environments.

Progress of GYPREG

The project involves close cooperation between local farmers and agricultural stakeholders, as well as environmental organizations. Advisory groups consisting of representatives from each country have been formed to follow the project’s progress and assist farmers with the implementation of gypsum treatment.

The project is being carried out by the Finnish Environment Institute, the Latvian Institute of Aquatic Ecology, the Farmers’ Parliament (Latvia), the Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, the Institute of Technology and Life Sciences – National Research Institute (Poland), the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE), Race for the Baltic (Sweden), and the John Nurminen Foundation.

Projects

GYPREG Project

We reduce the nutrient load of the Baltic Sea by increasing the gypsum treatment of fields with our partners.

How is the Baltic Sea doing, and what is to be expected in the future? HELCOM (the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission) published its third holistic assessment of the Baltic Sea, called HOLAS, in October 2023. The assessment examines the state of the ecosystem health of the Baltic Sea between 2016-2021.  

As the name suggests, HOLAS is a comprehensive, holistic assessment of the state of the Baltic Sea. It assesses the total impacts on the sea focusing on five thematic areas: biodiversity, eutrophication, hazardous substances, economic and social analyses, as well as spatial analyses of pressures and impacts.    

The message of the assessment does not give us much to celebrate: the assessment shows only little or no improvement in the state of the sea. The assessment is done using almost 60 different indicators that show the pressures on the sea and the state of its biodiversity. All three assessed categories of pressures on the sea – eutrophication, hazardous substances, and commercial fishing – are on an unsustainable level or have not decreased enough. 

The major challenge of eutrophication

Eutrophication remains a major problem for the ecosystems and the services they provide in the Baltic Sea region.  

Lotta Ruokanen, Professional Secretary at HELCOM, notes that although the nutrient inputs have decreased significantly, the status of the sea is mostly below the good environmental status threshold. However, noteworthy and somewhat positive is that only 1,3 percent of the sea area is in the worst category, bad status. 

Ruokanen also points out that in terms of water transparency, oxygen debt, shallow water oxygen, and state of the soft-bottom macrofauna community, the status is good in the Bothnian Sea, Bothnian Bay and Kattegat.  

There are multiple reasons why good status in different categories has not been achieved: i.e. changes in ecosystems may happen with a time lag, “new” challenges such as climate change arise, and some measures have yet to be implemented while some might be insufficient. 

The importance of assessing the state of the Baltic Sea

HOLAS provides necessary information for those protecting the sea. For example, John Nurminen Foundation bases its work on the best available scientific information to save the Baltic Sea most effectively. Thus, information on how different measures and actions are working is critical. 

Ulla Rosenström, the Director of Marine Environment at John Nurminen Foundation, says that HOLAS3 shows both that where agreed protection measures were implemented they have in fact been effective and that the work needs to be continued. We can also identify the areas that need special attention. 

Rosenström notes that along with assessing the state of the environment, following the past and future trends is important. Solely knowing the present state does not tell us whether protection measures are optimal.  

The high cost of inaction

The sea knows no boundaries, so concerted action is needed between Baltic Sea states as well as the European Union. It is key to consider societal, economic, and ecological connections as the three are in fact interconnected.  

Rüdiger Strempel, the Executive Secretary of HELCOM, points out a striking figure in the assessment: “The poor environmental status of the Baltic Sea has been shown to impact a wide range of ecosystem services on which we depend. The cost of inaction is therefore high.” 

The estimated yearly worth of achieving good environmental status (GES) in national marine waters by 2040 is 5.6 billion euros for the people around the Baltic Sea. 

To reach a good environmental status, transformative change is needed in all marine-related societal and economic sectors. Well-informed public decision making is crucial en route to change.  

The change requires a shared knowledge and understanding of the status of the sea and the objectives of actions to improve the status. According to Strempel, only a shared understanding can lead to targeted and effective measures as duplication of efforts can be avoided and efficiency maximized. 

The necessary but challenging indicators 

According to Rosenström, it is vital to look at the multiple pressures that can affect the same ecosystem. If they are viewed separately, the combined effects might go unnoticed.  

While using different indicators of the effects is important in assessing the environmental status, combining them into an index can be challenging, as the combined indicators might change in opposite directions. When publishing results, it is crucial to explain how the different indicators work – particularly to support well-informed decision making. 

“For example, the heaviness of nutrient load might not go hand in hand with the state of some species”, Rosenström specifies. 

Ruokanen likewise explains that the HOLAS assessment is done on the most integrated level: e.g. it combines all eutrophication indicators. Considered separately, the indicators of nutrient levels, direct effects and indirect effects show more variety in their results.  

Climate change requires attention

According to Ruokanen, climate change is something that needs a lot of attention. What’s notable is that climate change mitigation and marine protection often support each other. 

“There are signs of combined efforts and synergies in policies on e.g. simultaneous climate change mitigation, adaptation and improving the biodiversity status”, says Ruokanen. 

So, as the new year progresses, further work on saving the Baltic Sea is needed. While “new” pressures, such as climate change, make the protection work as pressing as always, it is not too late to save the sea.  

What is HOLAS?

The Baltic Sea countries have agreed on a strategic programme called Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) – adopted first in 2007 and updated in 2021. Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the aim of the BSAP is to achieve a good environmental status of the Baltic Sea. The progress is followed up with HOLAS to review how the taken measures and actions are working.  

Hundreds of experts from various fields contribute to the assessments done roughly every six years. The HOLAS 3 report was published in its totality in October 2023.

Go to HOLAS 3 website

During the River Vantaa Gypsum Project, gypsum was spread across more than 3,600 hectares of arable land in the River Vantaa catchment area in 2018–2020. This treatment will reduce nutrient loading and suspended solids in the River Vantaa and the Gulf of Finland, thereby improving their ecological state and enhancing their recreational value. The River Vantaa is an important recreational area and trout river for many people living in the capital city region. Gypsum treatment proved to be an inexpensive way of protecting bodies of water, and will also be required in the future to reduce nutrient loading in the Baltic Sea.

By treating up to 3,600 hectares of fields with gypsum during 2018–2020, the project sought to reduce the amount of phosphorus ending up in the River Vantaa and Vanhakaupunki Bay by about ten tons, and the amount of suspended solids by about five thousand tons, over a five-year period. The project also acquired more data about the impact of gypsum treatment on water quality and fish stocks, and shared information about gypsum treatment as a method of water protection.

The River Vantaa Gypsum Project was implemented by the John Nurminen Foundation, the Water Protection Association of the River Vantaa and Helsinki Region, the University of Helsinki and the Finnish Environment Institute. It was funded by the Foundation’s private supporters, Euroclear, Yara, and the Ministry of the Environment as part of programmes relating to the management of water resources and marine environments in Finland and the Ministry’s policy package “The breakthrough of the circular economy and introduction of clean solutions”. Taking the donated gypsum into account, the project’s total budget was about EUR 1.4 million. Additional funding for gypsum treatment has been applied for via the Nutribute crowdfunding platform. Read more about the project’s achievements in the summary of the final report, which you can find here.

Gypsum treatment

The treatment involved spreading four tons of soil-improving gypsum per hectare of land. In this project, the gypsum was spread in the autumn after threshing. Gypsum (aka calcium sulphate) dissolves into arable land, where it improves the soil’s crumb structure and promotes adsorption (the binding of phosphorus to soil particles). This reduces erosion and the leaching of both phosphorus and organic carbon, which results in clearer run-off water and prevents the eutrophication of waterways. The bound phosphorus remains in the soil in a form that can be used by plants. The effect of gypsum treatment lasts for about five years.

The majority of the gypsum used in the project was recycled gypsum donated by Yara. This gypsum was generated as a by-product of phosphoric acid production. The project also included a small-scale natural gypsum pilot for about 80 hectares of land. 76 farms took part in the gypsum treatment. In addition to private farmers, two cities and one educational establishment were also involved.

Follow-up monitoring

The environmental impacts of the River Vantaa Gypsum Project were followed by monitoring the quality of run-off water and conducting fish stock studies. The Water Protection Association of the River Vantaa and Helsinki Region was responsible for carrying out these monitoring procedures. The effects of gypsum on phosphorus loading, suspended solids and the leaching of organic matter were studied in the River Lepsämä catchment area with the aid of water samples and automatic water quality monitoring. The change in phosphorus loading throughout the entire River Vantaa catchment area after gypsum treatment was assessed on the basis of results obtained from the monitoring area. The recent gypsum treatments will reduce phosphorus leaching into the River Vantaa (and thereby the Gulf of Finland) by about 9,500 kg, and suspended solids by about 4,100 tons, in the period 2018–2025.

The potential impacts on fish stocks were studied with the aid of electrofishing and by testing buried roe. In this study, gypsum treatment was not found to have any impact on fish stocks. Read more about Matias Hyrsky’s master’s thesis in the publications of the Water Protection Association of the River Vantaa (in Finnish).

Project phases

The River Vantaa Gypsum Project reduced nutrient leaching by treating more than 3,600 hectares of arable land with soil-improving gypsum. Gypsum treatment was also tested in the River Porvoo catchment area.

• The quantity and quality of run-off water was measured throughout the project at the River Lepsämä measuring station. Gypsum was found to reduce phosphorus loading and suspended solids during the mild and rainy weather of early 2020, which constituted prime conditions for loading.
• Matias Hyrsky’s master’s thesis, which was based on the project’s fish stock study, was published in the publications of the Water Protection Association of the River Vantaa and Helsinki Region.
• In 2018, a total of 1,070 hectares of land along the River Vantaa were treated with gypsum (and 73 hectares in Porvoo). More than 2,120 hectares were treated in 2019 and 420 hectares in 2020.
• In 2020, the spreading of natural gypsum was tested in fields belonging to four organic farmers.
• A photography competition was organised for primary school pupils in autumn 2019.
• The project organised several briefings for farmers, as well as field-side events for stakeholders and the media. Watch the gypsum promises made by participating politicians in autumn 2019 on our YouTube channel (in Finnish).
• Yara donated all of the gypsum required for gypsum treatments in autumn 2019 and 2020.
• Euroclear donated EUR 25,000 to the River Vantaa Gypsum Project on its anniversary. 
• Porvoo Water financed gypsum treatment along the River Porvoo in order to neutralise its own nutrient footprint by supporting the project.
• A “Save the River Vantaa” crowdfunding campaign was launched for the project in order to collect donations from citizens.
• The project ended in December 2020 with a webinar and the publication of the final report. Read the summary of the final report here.

Materials related to the project

In cooperation

More information

The war in Ukraine, which broke out in the spring of 22, brought foreign and security policies to the centre of our attention. In September, gas pipe leaks further accelerated the discourse on security, at the same time reminding us of the poor ecological status of the Baltic Sea, worsened locally because of the leaks. Now our Sea is known globally.

The Baltic Sea is, however, so much more than a theme in security policies. It features a unique and fragile ecosystem, and an incredible shipwreck park. The Sea’s history is long and its culture is multilingual. Together with other stakeholders, our Foundation works daily to save the Baltic Sea and its vibrant cultural heritage.

We live in a time dubbed the decade of the seas, but still lack the ability to understand the needs of the sea, to curb discharges, and to restore it in a timely manner. UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number 14, Life Below Water, is the one that is making the least progress. In order to tackle this situation, we need to understand the opportunities created by the blue bioeconomy, and the ways the seas can help us in the green transition.

We pondered over the challenges faced by the Sea on Baltic Sea Day in August, when our research on what young Finns know about the Baltic Sea was published. We surveyed what the youth consider to be a Baltic Sea identity, and what the Sea means to them and to their identities. Alongside music, art, and food, the Baltic Sea Day was filled with discussions on the status of the Sea and its underwater life. The Baltic Sea was the topic of the day in six countries – and in 2023, we hope to see participants from all compass points around the Sea.

We celebrate the 30th anniversary of our work for the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea Talks reminded us of the power of knowledge, the written arts, and music. We thanked the everyday heroes, i.e. our project partners, with an adventure in Isosaari. Our supporters feasted with us at a gala dinner. Moreover, in her essay In Search of Marine Culture, published to celebrate our anniversary, Marjo T. Nurminen considered the true essence of marine culture, accompanied by the images of Hannu Väisänen.

We launched two new marine environment projects. We continued our work to curb nutrient discharges from agriculture by, together with Rädda Lumparn, starting the gypsum treatment of fields in Åland. Together with Traficom, we launched the Chemical Tanker project, which reduces discharges of harmful substances that enter the Baltic Sea when tanker holds are being washed.

With the goal of improving marine literacy, we published two books: Kalastajien kyydissä Itämerellä (On the Baltic Sea with fishermen), which surveys the status of fishing as a livelihood, and Meri ja Tove (The Sea and Tove), an environmental biography that describes Tove Jansson’s relationship with the Sea in the Pellinki archipelago.

In 2023, we continue our work to improve the ecological status of the Baltic Sea, and to strengthen people’s Baltic Sea identity. In our new Baltic Seagrass project, we dive underwater and plant common eelgrass, a key species of the Baltic Sea. We will in fact be protecting marine nature as we continue to reduce eutrophication. Climate change accumulates the problems of the Baltic Sea, but with far-reaching and new measures, we can restore the good ecological status of the Sea.

The Sea has a magnificent voice, and it is worth our while to create space for its story. With this in mind, I invite you all to the exhibition at Suomenlinna’s Levyhalli, opening on 17 May 2023, to experience how modern Finnish artists see their relationship with the Unknown Baltic Sea. Let’s pause, listen, and discuss by the Sea, of the Sea, and of us. A small Foundation with a huge task owes even greater thanks to all our partners!

Read our annual report online

The Annual Report includes a report on operations for last year, financial statements, and an up-to-date review of the Foundation’s projects and operations.

Contact us at info@jnfoundation.fi to receive a printed Annual Report.

More information

Campaign’s creative agency:
Mikko Hakkarainen
Executive Creative Director
United Imaginations
+358 40 748 8641
mikko@unitedimaginations.fi

This summer, a “man-made natural wonder” is being promoted to visitors in Northern Europe: the swirling blue-green algae blooms of the Baltic Sea. In a bold twist, the Northern Plights campaign frames this ecological crisis as a tourist attraction, eerily echoing the beauty of the northern lights—perhaps the most iconic draw of the Nordic region. Behind the dark irony lies a stark truth: eutrophication is suffocating one of the world’s most fragile seas. Created for the John Nurminen Foundation, the campaign aims to raise global awareness and inspire donations—while there’s still time to save the Baltic Sea. The campaign launches in time for World Ocean Day on June 8th.

This summer, a new and haunting “natural wonder” is being promoted to tourists visiting the Nordic region: vast, swirling green blooms on the surface of the Baltic Sea that resemble the northern lights. But unlike their celestial counterparts, these eerie shapes are no miracle of nature—they are a warning sign.

“Nowadays, there might be a better chance of seeing algae suffocating the Baltic Sea than catching the real northern lights,” says Elina Lehtinen, Communications director at John Nurminen Foundation.

“Northern Plights”, the new campaign by the John Nurminen Foundation reimagines algae blooms as tourist attractions to confront one of the Baltic Sea’s gravest threats: eutrophication. The campaign launches across Helsinki and the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, urging international travelers, environmentalists, and decision-makers to look beneath the surface—literally and figuratively.

A Faux Travel Campaign with a Real Message

Styled as a tourism campaign, Northern Plights features ironic postcards (“Wish You Weren’t Here,” “Greetings from a Dying Sea”), a pop-up Tourist Information Center in the heart of Helsinki, and striking outdoor ads at Helsinki and Nice (France) airports as well as across both cities during the UN Ocean Conference (June 9–13). On social media, one of Finland’s top comedians, Inkeri Hyvönen, plays the role of a cheerful tourist guide eager to profit from the new ‘natural wonder.’ Every touchpoint leads to the campaign site – johnnurminenfoundation.fi/en/save – where visitors are invited not only to learn, but to donate.

The algae blooms showcased in the campaign are a result of eutrophication, caused by excessive nutrient loading from agriculture, forestry, and other human activities. This leads to oxygen-depleted dead zones, loss of marine biodiversity, and devastating consequences for one of the world’s most fragile seas.

Supporting the John Nurminen Foundation

The John Nurminen Foundation, one of the most effective marine conservation organizations in Northern Europe, has worked for over 30 years to restore the ecological balance of the Baltic Sea. The foundation’s science-based actions have already resulted in tangible reductions in nutrient discharges—and is considered a world-record in marine conservation.

“With ‘Northern Plights,’ we want to shake people out of passive concern and into urgent action,” continues Elina Lehtinen. “The Baltic Sea is among the most polluted seas in the world, and the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss are becoming evident here faster than in other oceans.”

Representatives from John Nurminen Foundation are going to the UN Ocean Conference in Nice as a part of the delegation of Finland. The foundation is promoting stronger cooperation in marine protection among various stakeholders and is actively engaged in driving progress on issues such as maritime chemical emissions, underwater restoration, and pollution from land-based activities.

Call to Action

To reverse the damage and ensure that future generations inherit a living sea – not just a beautiful postcard – donations can be made directly at johnnurmisensaatio.fi/en/save. Contributions support ongoing initiatives that reduce phosphorus and nitrogen loads, protect biodiversity, and promote sustainable marine practices.

The campaign is made in collaboration with the creative agencies United Imaginations (concept, creative idea, marketing executions) and Cocoa (film and image production).

Media kit link for images and further info: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1I-23f0mXeyeXE4w0-2Vl1SKAe6-J70TI