Nordic Wetlands Synergies

Restoring Wetlands, Sharing Nordic Knowledge

Project Duration

1.6.2026 – 31.12.2027

Source of funding

Nordic Council of Ministers

Total Funding

245,000 €

Wetlands are rich ecosystems that support biodiversity, regulate water and help communities adapt to a changing climate. Nordic Wetland Synergies brings together local action and Nordic knowledge to strengthen wetland restoration and sustainable management. In Southwest Finland, we assess an overgrown wetland, carry out small-scale restoration measures and showcase existing nature-based solutions. By involving local stakeholders and sharing knowledge with biosphere reserves in Sweden and Denmark, we build understanding and commitment for healthier wetlands across the Nordic region.

The project focuses on wetlands as nature-based solutions that benefit both people and nature. Its main site is an overgrown wetland in Kimitoön, Mattböle träsk, where biodiversity and the condition of the wetland and its catchment area will be assessed. Together with approximately one hundred landowners and the municipality, the project will identify feasible restoration options, carry out small-scale measures such as reed cutting, and prepare a few options for possible future restoration. 

The project will also monitor and showcase three existing wetland-based nature sites in Southwest Finland. These sites demonstrate how nature-based solutions can enhance biodiversity, improve water management and strengthen climate resilience. Site visits and activities with local residents, schools, decision-makers and NGOs will make the knowledge accessible and connect ecological findings with local planning and everyday environments.  Nordic cooperation is central to the project. Biosphere reserves and practitioners from Finland, Sweden and Denmark will exchange experiences, compare restoration approaches and share effective methods for stakeholder involvement. The results and good practices will be disseminated through local, national and biosphere networks, creating a stronger knowledge base for future wetland restoration in Finland and across the Nordic region.