Maaseutu

Environmentally friendly boat hotel opens in Inkoo

Boat Hotel Inkoo, the first environmentally friendly boat hotel in the Baltic Sea area, opened for business in August 2010 with the completion of a 208-boat hall with special shelves for winter storage.
The Boat Hotel is designed specifically for winter storage, but it can also be used as an alternative to traditional wharves as the boats can be taken down and set afloat in about five minutes.

New income from working with pets

In Markku Pölönen’s film Dog Nail Clipper (2004), Mertsi Vepsäläinen (played by Peter Franzén) is given a proxy entitling him to clip the nails of a Finnish Spitz called Sakke.
When Kuopio residents Heimo Nykänen and Sakari Pekkanen started to turn their business idea of clipping dog nails into a new enterprise in the Kuopio region, many people laughed at their business idea, just like people scorned and ridiculed Mertsi in the film. Were they seriously suggesting that somebody would really pay good money for giving a city dog the chance to enjoy some peace and quiet in the countryside…?

Savonian invention brings the winds of change to the production of bioenergy

Timo Heinonen, a resident of Karttula, Finland, has developed a solution for the production of renewable energy that is innovative even on a global scale. The utilisable gas generator turns wood chips, water and air into heat and electric energy. In normal operation, it creates so few carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions that this new technology can be called a real breakthrough in the consumption and production of environmentally friendly bioenergy.

Rural vitality through diversity

Forest owners in southwestern Finland have been keen to sign voluntary forest protection and management agreements. In 2007 the forest owners founded Koppelo ry, the Western Finland Association for Natural Values, to head the Maaseudulle elinvoimaa monimuotoisuudesta (’Rural vitality from diversity’) Project, also known as Maaemo.

LUTUNEN I – Development of the conditions for the attractiveness and productisation of nature trails

Lutunen I follows on from the nature trail project in northern Central Finland which involved the implementation of nature trails, maps and signboards. These have been further developed within the Lutunen I Business Development Project, resulting in the creation of commercialisable nature trail products.

Tangible rural data to spice up climate debate

Forest has always been the source of prosperity for the municipality of Siikalatva in Northern Ostrobothnia, providing both livelihood and recreational opportunities.

The warming up of the debate on climate change spurred this municipality from Central Finland to think of how the region could do its bit for the environment. This resulted in the idea to investigate how much carbon is stored in the forests of Siikalatva.

Kick-start to new opportunities from project launched by Vesannon Yrittäjät

The Vetovoimainen Vesanto (‘Attractive Vesanto’) Project has proved more than worthy of its name. The success of the Reiska Football World Championships in July and the leisure resident events organised by the project has left everyone admiring the “tremendous drive” and togetherness of the small rural community.

Icehearts is about cooperation and caring

Founded on the values of cooperation and caring, the Icehearts operating model was developed in Vantaa. Icehearts operations began in Ulvila in autumn 2008 with the support of Karhuseutu ry and the town of Ulvila. UPV Icehearts is a social sports club that aims at preventing children from becoming marginalised and taken into care. The children involved are chosen because of their need for special support in their growth and development.

Shore reclaimed from reeds in Kempele

Timo Patja, a resident of thirty years of the village of Vihiluoto in Kempele in Northern Ostrobothnia, is brimming with satisfaction. During the past three years the villagers have reclaimed the shoreline from the reeds and put it back into recreational use.

Eco-friendly blanket and sheet products from surface peat

Karvia-based Konto Ltd is in the start-up phase of its operations. The company manufactures blankets, sheets and shape-pressed products from natural fibres. Applications include oil absorption, insulation, acoustics and various shape-pressed product requirements. The project allowed the company to make the machinery investments required for starting operations.

New innovations make it possible to improve fire safety

The purpose in the ‘IKI-Air Chimney’ Project was to develop a more fire-safe alternative for chimney production.
Reijo Hautala became familiar with development projects in the late 80s, when he was involved in cooperation projects with TEKES (the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation), developing air conditioning ducts. As the air conditioning duct solutions developed by Reijo Hautala were introduced to the public at trade fairs in the 90s, he began receiving enquiries on whether similar techniques could be applied to the construction of chimneys. As a result, his air conditioning activities were replaced by work in chimney production.

NeuroCattle software helps livestock farms

Agricultural production is constantly changing and evolving. NeuroCattle is an electronic system designed for livestock farms, drawing on wireless technology to collect information on animals out in the field.

The package is being jointly developed by two businesses in Ylivieska: NeuroAgent Oy designs the software, and ID-Import Oy imports the equipment required. The NeuroCattle software is currently being tested on three or four farms around Finland.

Presentation of the ‘Bull by the Horns’ project

The Härkää sarvista (‘Bull by the Horns’) project promotes grazing as a tool for nature and landscape management in the regions of Central Finland, South Savo, Pirkanmaa and Ostrobothnia. The purpose is to provide such maintenance in areas that have particularly valuable landscape or natural features. The project will also involve the local population in the promoting of biodiversity.

Research data enhances energy wood harvesting

Energy wood is wood harvested for energy production, such as branches and crowns, stumps and small-diameter trees. A project led by the Kanta-Häme and Päijät-Häme Forest Management Association is studying ways to improve the harvesting of energy wood. There is work available in this sector, and as its profitability increases, rural entrepreneurs will become more interested. Being a renewable energy source, energy wood plays an important role in attaining climate protection targets.

Increasing the vitality of rural areas through effective telecommunications

The Laajakaistaa kyliin (‘Broadband to the Villages’) project has enabled broadband connections to be built to rural communities that would otherwise never have been connected. The project brought the information society to the communities of Uuronkylä and Puskankylä in the municipality of Kauhajoki, Jyrynkylä in the former municipality of Jurva (now Kurikka) and Salonkylä/Järvikylä in Karijoki, all in the Suupohja area.

Improving the landscape and making entrepreneurship profitable

Nature and landscape management is an emerging sector. Entrepreneurship and cooperation in this sector in the Pirkanmaa region is supported by a project coordinated by ProAgria, seeking entrepreneurs to handle a total of 15 landscape management sites on lands owned by municipalities and power grid companies.

Finnish farmers awarded for best actions to protect the Baltic Sea

The World Wildlife Fund WWF organised an international competition in 2009 to find the most environmentally friendly farmer in the catchment area of the Baltic Sea. This competition aimed to highlight and disseminate good, environmentally friendly farming practices from different countries. The winner of the award and the main prize of €10,000 was Vapola Farm in Uusikaupunki, Southwest Finland. Run by Katriina Vapola and Jyrki Ankelo (picture), Vapola Farm produces suckler cows and Aberdeen Angus cattle for breeding.

Results and examples

Rural development programmes