Information day for journalists

Organisation: Varsinais-Suomen perinnemaisemayhdistys

Time: 4/1/2010 – 10/1/2010

Description:

Inspired by Baltic Sea Action Summit, the Association for Traditional Rural Landscapes in Southwest Finland will during 2010 campaign for increasing knowledge about the management and financing of coastal meadows and river valley meadows in Baltic Sea area, especially in SW Finland.

The main event of the commitment, The Pasture-springjumping information day, is aimed at journalists in early summer 2010. The plan is to time the event with the very moment when the main part of the cattle of SW Finland meadow meat producers are released from their winter shelters to spring meadows and fields. The event be arranged with the help of Salmensuu Hereford farm.

During the event the professional volunteers from the Association shall guide journalists about critical situation of coastal meadows, ecosystem services maintained by the correct quality management of meadows and various benefits of meadow meat. This event will enlighten the future possibilty for optimal ecosystem service network of managed Baltic Sea coastline.

Association wants to pay special attention to the ”International year of Biodiversity” 2010 in order to reduce the loss of biodiversity. One of the most threatened habitat types of international responsibility in Finland are coastal meadows. The amount of seashore meadows have drastically decreased in Finland from 40 000 hectares (1950s) to present ca. 5000 hectares. Grazing is a key action in avoiding overgrowth of the meadows and encroachment of reed beds. Cessation of management leads to quickly accelerating nutrient flow to the estuaries and sea shore meadows. The other reasons for huge loss of coastal meadows are nutrient load from air, cultivated field and land as well as drainage and establishment of cultivated fields.

The association wants to bring forth the fact the nutrient load into the Baltic Sea shall be lower from grazed (compared with unmanaged) area if the grazed parcel is managed by appropriate rules meaning no additional fodder is given for the animals during season and the area is not fenced to the same parcel with fertilized fields. Our Association has noticed that this fact is too often passed over in silence in Finnish media.

Thus correct management of coastal meadows by mowing and grazing shall decrease flux of nutrients to the Baltic Sea and enhance biodiversity. The Association shall in addition emphasize media the inverse (!) fact that eutrophication of the Baltic Sea is a threat to coastal meadows and other coastal habitats and their species.

This event is temporary, our Association basic work for this issue is permanent.