A special theme week included a quiz about freshwater pearl mussels and discussing the state of waters
This text was published in the blog of Priodiversity LIFE. Check out the other blog posts as well (metsa.fi).
15.9.2025
A traditional theme week Hörhiäisviikko (“Bumblebee week”) was celebrated in Kankaanpää town located in Satakunta region in Western Finland in the end of August. The event tracks back decades ago and has various programs, such as Navy orchestra march, art events and concerts. This popular event was a good place for us to dismount and share information about nature and funding possibilities for nature management.
We at Priodiversity LIFE compiled an information explosion for the evening event, in which we told people both about Regional Biodiversity Action Plans and the unique nature of northern Satakunta. Specialists from Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Southwest Finland shared information about the Ala-Honkajoki-Pohjankangas regional biodiversity hotspot, the state of waters in Karvia river, as well as the state of freshwater pearl mussel at Karvia river. The event gathered a delightful number of people and discussion was lively. The locals were especially interested in the state of Karvia river and in brown trout.
In Karvia river area the last freshwater pearl mussels persevere, whose distress was explained by LIFE Revives project. Saving freshwater pearl mussel from extinction requires various actions on the whole drainage basin. On the other half of the evening event, we presented funding possibilities, which could help in restoring the state of waters and habitats. The Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment and Finnish Forest Centre are looking for restoration objects, such as streams, marshes, wetlands or traditional rural biotopes to restore.
The next day we put up together a tent on Kankaanpää marketplace. A wheel of fortune and quiz about freshwater pearl mussels with prizes gathered interested visitors for all day. We had a lot to discuss about freshwater pearl mussels, and it was delightful that many of the visitors at the tent praised the importance of protecting waters. We made good contacts at the event and got concrete suggestions about restoration areas, so the event was a success in every way.
At the tent we had Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Southwest Finland talking about Priodiversity LIFE, LIFE Revives, KIPSI project and Helmi program. The Finnish Forest Centre, MoniTeko project from Tapio, and ProAgria were presenting themselves as well. In the evening event, Satavesi program gave a talk about the state of water.
If you are interested, read our wanted advertisement: we are looking for streams, traditional rural biotopes, marshes and wetlands (Satakunta and Varsinais-Suomi) (sttinfo.fi, in Finnish).
Liina Salonen, District coordinator, Centre of Economic Development, Transport and the Environment for Southwest
Priodiversity LIFE offers solutions to halt nature loss. The project gathers a wide range of committed operators who together have the chance to find the most impactful and cost-efficient ways to stop nature loss in Finland. In the project we will create requirements to make halting the nature loss into a new skill for Finnish entrepreneurs, and to make Finland an expert on international scale. Priodiversity LIFE is coordinated by Metsähallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland.
Priodiversity LIFE – for halting biodiversity loss (metsa.fi)
