Baltic Sea Forum travelled to Saarenmaa 19/20.9.26. The invitation had been proclaimed to all the rotarians and about 20 rotarians found the way.
Important insights into factors affecting the Baltic Sea and inland waters
Most of the seminar was given by us rotarians: we know a lot. Lotta Ruokanen introduced HELCOM, the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission. The Commission’s primary tasks are to oversee the implementation of agreements regarding the protection of the Baltic Sea region, monitor the state of the Baltic Sea, and issue recommendations concerning maritime safety and the control of harmful substances. The parties to the HELCOM Convention are the European Union and all the coastal states of the Baltic Sea (Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Russia). Unanimous decisions take the form of recommendations to the governments of member states, which are then required to incorporate them into their national legislation.
Next, our visitor Dr. Kätlin Blank reported on the status of Lake Peipsi. The lake drains into the Gulf of Finland via the Narva River. Monitoring of the lake has been ongoing since the 1960s. Dr. Blank points out that zooplankton—a vital link in the ecosystem chain that controls phytoplankton levels and serves as a food source for fish—has been completely overlooked in all environmental monitoring efforts. Since 2018, nutrient levels in Lake Peipsi have risen, resulting in algal blooms, the spread of reed beds, fish kills and declining fish stocks. Lake Peipsi also faces other today´s challenges like litter and plastics, climate change, and invasive species.
Kari Havaste’s topic was the Vantaa River water retention project. 1.6 million people live in the Vantaanjoki River area. The river flows into Vanhankaupunginlahti Bay in Helsinki, on the eastern side of the city. Flooding is a problem, and the risk is only increasing due to the climate change. So, what can Rotarians do? The goal is to raise funds to build structures that delay runoff. Could this simultaneously improve irrigation opportunities for fields during dry spells, reduce flooding, and thereby decrease the washing away of valuable soil and nutrients from fields into waterways? Nine Rotary clubs located along the river are participating in this project.
Over the years, Rapla club has organized the “Environment and Us – Rotary 360°” program, which was presented by Tarmo Bachmann. The program creates opportunities for young people to engage in dialogue with experts and researchers, participate in discussions, and be recognized through award ceremonies. Its purpose and vision are to foster a balanced approach to environmental thinking, promote dialogue as a counterweight to conflict, develop new leaders, and strengthen civic responsibility.
BASRAN (Baltic Sea Rotary Action Network) was presented by national representatives Marve Virinurm from Estonia and Päivi Kippo-Edlund from Finland. The network involves Rotarians from three different Rotary zones: Zone 15 (Germany); Zone 17 (Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Russia, and Sweden); and Zone 18 (Denmark, Lithuania, and Poland). Arho Oja of the Viljandi Club was named as the second representative for Estonia.
Nicki Clayton from Rotary International joined our seminar remotely to present the “Community Action for Fresh Water” (CAFW) initiative, a collaboration between Rotary and UNEP. The CAFW website offers information on natural water ecosystems, the threats and pollutants affecting them, and guidance on engaging local stakeholders, conducting citizen science, and organizing cleanup events.
At the very end we took a look at the condition of Finland’s water bodies. Based on the Water Framework Directive, the status of water bodies in EU is monitored every six years. By 2027, the status maps should show only blue and green waters—indicating excellent or good condition. There is still a great deal of work to be done, especially in Uusimaa.
Diverse cooperation across borders
On Sunday morning, a local biology teacher and a few schoolchildren came to visit us and we donated a water test bag. The schoolchildren conducted the tests; the results showed no major issues in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Riga. Local newspapers and radio stations also came to cover the testing.
We discussed the possibility of bringing BASRAN RYLA—Rotary Youth Leadership Academy—to Saaremaa, as RYLA has not yet been held in Estonia. The topic of RYLA was also brought up during our afternoon visit to the University of Tartu’s Marine Institute on Saaremaa; young people could carry out some group projects in their laboratory. (Basran board made already a decision on RYLA on Saaremaa later). After leaving there, we paid a visit to Havaste’s “summer cottage.”
A major thank to everybody involved! Let´s see if this becomes a tradition.
Written by: Kaisu Annala, Munkkiniemi-Munknäs RK
