Aura River on the Map

PROJECT ENDED IN 2018

The Aura River and its entire valley are important to all of us in many different ways: as a living environment, a landscape, a recreational area, a historical treasure, or an event venue. However, the information available about the Aura River and its surroundings is currently quite fragmented, and existing information can often be difficult to find unless you know exactly where or from whom to look.

In the Aura River Foundation’s Aura River on the Map project, free and publicly accessible geographic information data is being produced and linked to cultural, landscape, tourism, and environmental points of interest along the Aura River. The target groups and beneficiaries include local residents, community organizations, municipalities, other parties needing Aura River information, and visitors.

Presenting and making Aura River information easily available supports its use in, for example, local heritage work, landscape management, land use planning, tourism and local event development, education, and recreational activities. It also strengthens local identity and appreciation of the Aura River.

The final material will be published and regularly updated on the Aura River Foundation’s own website www.aurajoki.net as well as in the Regional Council of Southwest Finland’s Lounaispaikka service. All material will be freely linkable and usable on other platforms.

During the project, associations and local residents also have the opportunity to contribute their own material to the online service and provide ideas and suggestions for the development work. The progress and results of the Aura River on the Map project can also be presented, upon request, for example at association meetings.

The project period is 1 February 2017 – 31 April 2018. The project has received Leader funding from the Rural Development Fund via the Southwest Finland ELY Centre through Varsin Hyvä ry and the Jokivarsikumppanit ry.

Geographic information and river information in Aura and Pöytyä
In the Aura River Foundation’s geographic information sessions, we introduced what geographic information and open data mean, and how they can be used in association and community activities. The presentation can be read here:
Sanna Jokela: Geographic Information and its Opportunities for Associations