The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) has chosen 100 Pearls of Finnish Nature, to celebrate Finland’s 100 anniversary of independence. The 100 Pearls are nationally significant nature sites under threat, which FANC wants to preserve for future generations.
Among the Pearls of Nature, there are several river ecosystems where EKOenergy is active too. Our Environmental Fund has funded the Koitajoki river restoration project in Eastern Finland to make its ecosystem suitable again for the highly endangered landlocked salmon. In the Murronjoki river, which is a part of the historically valuable waterway in Central Finland, the Environmental Fund has helped to bring trout and noble crayfish back to the river. EKOenergy also takes part in the EU-funded Freshabit LIFE Project that constructs fish passages in the old hydropower plants in the Kiskonjoki river, Saarijärvi waterway and the Mustionjoki river.
In the Mustionjoki river, there are still some endangered freshwater pearl mussels. By constructing the fish passages and bringing the salmon back to the river, we also help the mussels that depend on the salmon for survival. In the first half of the 20th century, pearl mussels were declared almost extinct due to excessive pearl hunting, and therefore, became protected by law in 1955.
The 100 Pearls of Finnish Nature, are to be cherished as treasures too! You can either take part in various events that will take place at the finest sites of Finnish nature, or you can also go visiting the sites by yourself. Please see more information about the project ”100 Pearls of Nature” on FANC’s website.
Pictures by Markus Sirkka (top) and Minttu Lehtovaara (bottom), for the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and EKOenergy
Posted on 30 November 2016