VEERA – Water Protection in the Watersheds of the Major Rivers in Southwest Finland

The goal of the VEERA project was to share information about water quality, water management, and protection, as well as the impacts of nutrient recycling on water quality through concrete actions and meetings with local people. During the project, open public events and small group meetings were held on topics such as composting, the beneficial use of reeds and other biomass, riparian grazing, and various beach-clearing and landscape management volunteer activities. The project provided advice and, when needed, hands-on guidance for planning water management projects and applying for funding. The project collaborated with various associations. Participation in the activities did not require any commitment from the associations and was free of charge.

The project operated in the watersheds of the major rivers flowing into the Archipelago Sea, including the Aura River, Paimio River, Halikon River, Uskela River, Kisko–Perniö River, and the eastern lakes of Somero, in cooperation with local stakeholders and other projects.

The project collaborated with the Paimio River Association and the Water Clinic in Salo from 2015 to 2016, and it was funded through the Ministry of the Environment’s nutrient recycling promotion and the Archipelago Sea improvement program RAKI.