This news digest highlights recent Valonia activities promoting sustainable development in Southwest Finland. The summary is based on the Finnish-language newsletter published in February 2026. You can subscribe to the newsletter at valonia.fi/uutiskirje. If you would like more information on any of the topics presented here, feel free to contact our staff!
What’s happening in Southwest Finland? Current climate and nature work update for elected officials
We will organise an info webinar in April especially for municipal elected officials, focusing on the latest developments in climate and nature work in the region. As an expert organisation in sustainable development for municipalities, our aim is to provide elected officials with an up‑to‑date understanding of the state of regional sustainability work.
The webinar will cover what is currently underway in Southwest Finland, what is being planned, how we respond to national and international developments, and which challenges the region faces. This time, we will delve particularly into topical issues in water protection and the Archipelago Sea work, guided by Valonia’s water and environmental experts.
Draft of the Savijoki water management master plan is complete
A multi‑objective water management master plan is being prepared for Savijoki, a tributary of Aurajoki. The plan identifies suitable locations for different water management measures, such as two‑stage channels, wetlands, peatland restoration and instream bottom structures. The first draft has now been compiled for landowners to review. The plan will be refined during the RESIST project until the end of 2027.
Climate‑resilient home and yard – perspectives on housing in a changing climate
Valonia’s webinar series provided residents with practical solutions for adapting to climate change in yards and residential properties. The aim was to increase understanding of how rising rain and meltwater volumes affect built environments and maintenance needs. The webinars collected tips from small everyday actions to long-term planning to increase the resilience of properties while improving yard comfort and supporting biodiversity.
Future outlook for the Southwest Finland food chain to 2035
A study on the Southwest Finland food chain focused on creating future scenarios for the region’s main production sectors and examining how a constantly changing operating environment impacts the food chain. The study reviews the current state of the food chain and builds a future outlook based on raw material supply chains. Variables examined include agricultural land use, production volumes, development of food industry facilities and jobs, as well as availability of trained labour.
Identifying groundwater‑dependent habitats & guidance for pond surveys
Springs are groundwater‑dependent habitats whose identification is important for their protection. Information is needed on their natural state and restoration needs to improve protection levels and target restoration efforts. The “Guide to Identifying Groundwater‑Dependent Habitats” published by the Finnish Freshwater Foundation supports spring inventories. It is hoped to accelerate mapping work and improve protection levels and consideration in forestry and other land use.
Choose a rain garden to improve stormwater management on your property!
A rain garden is a nature‑based stormwater solution designed to collect and infiltrate excess runoff, improve water quality and enhance local amenity. Typically, it is a shallow depression planted with hardy, low‑maintenance native vegetation. The new Rain Garden Catalogue provides guidance for establishing a rain garden and introduces service providers planning and implementing rain gardens in Southwest Finland.
Examples of municipal and civic sustainability cooperation
The publication Municipalities and civil society sustainability cooperation – 12 examples of advancing change presents examples of collaboration between municipalities and civil society organisations. The cases demonstrate different forms of cooperation and the roles of residents, associations, NGOs, foundations and socially responsible companies in driving sustainability transitions. Use the publication as inspiration when considering what types of cooperation could be pursued in your municipality.
In Salo, staff recognition gifts promote the use of recycled materials
The City of Salo needed to tender its staff recognition gift, and the procurement was to reflect the city’s values and goals. The resulting gift chosen exceeded the required share of recycled materials. The example demonstrates how small procurements can have a significant impact not only for users but also for companies developing sustainable products. Procurement also signals to the market which values are prioritised.
Smarter trips to hobbies – how municipalities and sports clubs can promote sustainable mobility
Only about one‑third of 7–20‑year‑olds meet daily physical activity recommendations. Increasing everyday activity is one of the most effective and cost‑efficient ways to improve wellbeing and prevent inactivity-related problems. Journeys to training provide an easy opportunity to add movement to daily routines. On our website you can now explore a material package compiling experiences, instructions and tools for developing smarter training journeys in municipalities and sports clubs.
Updating the regional climate roadmap begins
The first Southwest Finland climate roadmap was completed in stages between 2021 and 2023 and was last updated in May 2023 with new land‑use targets and measures. As some sections are now approaching five years of age, the entire roadmap will be reassessed. In addition to updating existing themes, climate change adaptation will now become a strong cross-cutting theme.
Upcoming events
Together with our partners, we organise a variety of events, such as webinars and networking meetings, where participants can explore best practices and develop their skills in sustainable development. The events are primarily held in Finnish. Below is a selection of topics from some of the upcoming events. You can view the full Finnish-language event calendar at valonia.fi/tapahtumat.
Ilmakas online coffee session: Soil improvement and catch crops
11 March at 9.00–10.00 (Teams)
What experiences, trials and results are available regarding soil improvement crops and their establishment? What benefits do they offer and how quickly can they be expected to help? What opportunities and limitations do they have in crop rotation? Join the Ilmakas online coffee session to learn about soil health and farm-level climate resilience. The session will be introduced by Netta Leppäranta (ProAgria Etelä‑Suomi), with commentary by farmer and expert Topi Maanela (Riistasiemen Oy).
Climate work monitoring and indicators – results presentation
17 March at 15.00–16.00 (Turku)
What does climate mitigation and green transition monitoring look like in municipalities and regions? Syke maintains and develops the data service and scenario tool for municipal and regional consumption‑based emissions. A workshop series was held to collect user experiences of the new indicators. Results and future developments will be presented in an open Hiilineutraali Suomi webinar.
Climate risk workshop
18 March at 9.00–12.00 (Turku)
Come and hear about climate impacts on the region and discuss climate risks for Southwest Finland. The event begins with an introduction to regional climate risks, followed by group discussions on how different risks affect various societal sectors. Participants can contribute expertise to Valonia’s ongoing climate risk assessments, which will later guide the development of targets and measures in the regional climate roadmap.
Housing companies in a changing climate – seminar series
26 March & 14 April at 17.00–19.00 (Teams)
Climate change and extreme weather events impact housing company property value, maintenance and living comfort. The seminar series provides concrete tools for climate‑resilient housing management. In Oulu on 26 March the focus is on building condition assessments; in Turku on 14 April the topic is climate‑resilient maintenance and repair planning. Participation is possible online or on site.
Water protection in commercial forests – field training in Somero
21 April 2026 at 13–16 or 18–19.30 (Somero)
Join a field excursion to explore what water protection in forestry and protection of small waters mean in practice. With expert guidance we will examine buffer zones, forest law sites and potential locations for water protection measures. The training provides up‑to‑date and practical insights for planning and implementing water protection in forestry.
What’s happening in Southwest Finland? Climate and nature work update for municipal decision‑makers
22 April at 17.00–18.00 (Teams)
This webinar provides municipal elected officials with an overview of current developments in climate and nature work in Southwest Finland, including ongoing and planned activities, responses to national and international developments and key challenges. This session focuses on the Archipelago Sea work and water protection.
Local food for professional kitchens – why and how?
26 March at 16.00–17.45 (Mellilä)
Welcome to Mellilä municipal hall to hear and discuss how local and organic raw materials can be increased sustainably and profitably in professional kitchens. The event brings together kitchen professionals, producers and elected officials to explore the economic significance of local ingredients, dynamic procurement systems and practical ways to increase the share of local and organic food in municipal procurement.
Soil health study trip – peer learning in Norway
19–22 October 2026 (Norway)
Join the Ilmakas project’s study trip to Norway to explore soil health and crop cultivation practices. Participants will visit farms involved in soil health development groups and learn about current trends and best practices in crop and feed production. The itinerary includes expert-guided observations and insights into Norway’s cereal market.
This summary has been translated with the help of AI, and although a human has reviewed the text, some errors – for example in terminology – may still occur.