General National Id Finland_02 Site name Nummela, Municipality of Vihti, Uusimaa Region, Southern Finland Summary In 2010, the Nummela Gateway Wetland Park (2ha), Finland was constructed both as water environment mitigation landscapes and as urban park. Monitoring of the Nummela Gateway wetland park over a period of three years shows that constructed wetlands rapidly self-establish, resulting in an increase in biodiversity and the establishment of several ecosystem services (e.g. erosion and flood control, and reduction of pollutants in runoff water). The constructed wetland also provides a range of other benefits including opportunities for recreation and education. Light or indepth? Light NUTS Code Helsinki-Uusimaa RBD code FIVHA2 Transboundary 0 NWRM(s) implemented in the case study Retention Ponds Longitude 24.3375 Latitude 60.3277 Site information Climate zone cool temperate moist Mean rainfall 650 Mean rainfall unit mm/year Average temperature 4.6 Type Case Study Info Monitoring maintenance Monitoring impacts effects 1 Monitoring location Catchment outlet Monitoring parameters continuous flow and water level , nutrients, conductivity, temperature, pH, oxygen, hydrocarbons, metals, bacteria Monitoring upstream station the monitoring is case study specific Monitoring downstream station the monitoring is case study specific Performance Performance impact estimation method Edge of Field/Plot Performance impact estimation information Monitoring was performed to monitor impacts with regard to water quality and quantity, carbon content in soils, greenhouse gases, vegetation as well as evaluating ecosystem services. Design & implementations Application scale City Installation date 2010 Age 4 Performance timescale 1 - 4 years Area (ha) 500 Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha) 2 Size 2 Size unit ha Peak flow rate 1000 Public consultation 1 Contractural arrangements 1 Design contractual arrangement Arrangement type Responsibility Role Comments Name Contractual agreement Supporting Implementation for LIFE+ project Urban Oasis Th partnership agreement on implementation of the LIFE+ project Design consultation activity Activity stage Key issues Name Comments Design land use change Land use change type Design authority Authority type Role Responsibility Name Comments Local water authority Initiation of the measure University of Helsinki Other Initiation of the measure Municipality of Vihti NGO Monitoring The Water Protection Association of the River Vantaa and Helsinki Region Other Other Uusimaa, Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment Regional Policy: Cohesion Funds, ERDF Lessons, risks, implications... Key lessons 1) importance of having monitoring to verify the benefits from the wetland construction; 2) importance of the partnership and engadegment of relevant stakeholders; collaboration between environmental, planning and technical authorities has been crucial Success factor(s) Success factor type Success factor role Comments Attitude of relevant stakeholders main factor Participatory approaches and engagement of stakeholders in the design and implementation of the process were found beneficial to long-term success. Collaboration between environmental, planning and technical authorities has been crucial. In addition, the local association for water protection (VESY ry) has been an active partner in the project supporting several voluntary actions. The Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (UUDELY) has participated in project management and monitoring from the beginning, providing guidance and support at the regional level. Appropriate technical expertise (e.g. sustainable landscape design and monitoring) has been secured by involving experts from the University of Helsinki, Luode Consulting Oy, UUDELY, and Water Protection Association of the River Vantaa and Helsinki Region. Finally, the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (SLL) has supported communication and environmental education activities. Financing possibilities main factor Initially, the project was funded by municipality and regional development center. LIFE+ project was developed and is implemented 2012-2016 as follow up and expension with similar activities in the area Conducted assessments (incl. economic) main factor Availability of the information on key ipacts and results from the activities Other main factor The project combines environmental (water pollution, habitat degradation, etc.) and social aspects (recreation) Financing Financing type Comments Sub-national funds regional authority of the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (UUDELY) Local funds Budegt of Vihti municipality EU-funds: LIFE+ For follow up project called Urban Oasis Barrier Barrier type Barrier role Comments Driver Driver type Driver role Comments Organisation committed to it To improve the situation, the existing unsustainable means of disposal of runoff water was examined at the watershed level, seeking solutions through a holistic assessment of watershed processes and dynamics. As a result, new wetlands were created along the heavily degraded stream corridor to compensate for land-use changes within the watershed and to restore lost stream corridor habitats. In addition, a large wetland park named the Nummela Gateway Wetland Park was established at the mouth of the Kilsoi stream. The construction of wetlands was led by the project team and supported by a range of local and regional stakeholders. Financing share Financing share type Share Comments National funds municipality, initially View National funds regional, initially View European funds LIFE+ programme for project Urban Oasis View Policy, general governance and design targets Policy description 1) due to land-use changes and inadeqaute urban waste water management the Lake Enäjärvi watershed have resulted in poor water quality and related adverse impacts such as increased algal blooms and fish mortality. 2) problems such as erosion, flooding, draught, habitat degradation and low water quality were common in the area, preventing local people from accessing and enjoying from their surrounding natural environment Part of wider plan 1 Policy target Target purpose Pollutants Removal Improved Biodiversity Oher Societal Benefits Runoff control Peak-flow reduction Policy pressure Pressure directive Relevant pressure Policy area Policy area type Policy area focus Name Comments Policy impact Impact directive Relevant impact Policy wider plan Wider plan type Wider plan focus Name Comments Vihti municipality plan Local municipal plan reflects the change in zoning of land use. Policy requirement directive Requirement directive Specification Socio-economic Costs total 65000 Costs total information The initial sum was used to restore the river channel and related wetlands, as well to establish Ecosystem improved biodiversity 1 Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity These wetlands were constructed by excavation in abandoned crop fields. Vegetation was allowed to selfestablish. Seven vegetation zones were identified at the Gateway wetland: natural flood meadow by the lake, constructed islands, constructed wetland area, two dryer wet meadow areas, area of Salix shrubs, and adjacent forest edge. Annual monitoring for species and foliar coverage in summers of 2010, 2011 and 2012 (94 area 0.5m2 plots) revealed that the vegetation selfestablishment at the Gateway wetland was rapid, rich in taxa, and dominated by native wetland species. Only two alien species were identified: Elodea canadensis in deep water areas and Epilobium adenocaulon in dryer meadow areas. Coverage exceeded 90% in 2012. Ecosystem impact climate regulation Impact on GHGs (net emissions and storage) including soil carbon Information on Ecosystem impact climate regulation GHGs have been continuously monitored at the Gateway wetland by the eddy covariance method from air (measures fluxes) and directly from water (measures concentrations). Measurements of GHG concentration in water during winter 2012-2013 indicate that the site has been a source of CO2 and CH4 into the atmosphere. However, ice cover has prevented 4 GHG emissions. The GHG concentrations in the water were sensitive to changes in flow rates. Polluted spills within the urbanized areas impacted water quality as well as GHGs released from the water at the wetland. Biophysical impacts Peak flow rate reduction 40 Peak flow rate reduction unit % Ecosystem erosion control 1 Water quality overall improvements Positive impact-WQ improvement Information on Water quality overall improvements Wetland decrease the risk of eutrofication in Lake Enäjärvi. Water quality Improvements Phosphorus (P) 9 Water quality Improvements (P) unit % reduction pf pollutant Information on Water quality Improvements (P) Wetland retained phosphorus comparatively most efficiently in July, but terms of terms of absolute quantity in October – November. Water quality Improvements Total Suspended Solid (TSS) 12 Water quality Improvements (TSS) unit % reduction pf pollutant Water quality Improvements (TSS) Monitoring data from late April 2012 show two peaks of suspended sediments following two rain events. In both cases the wetland reduced sediment load into the lake (by 24% and 12%, respectively) Full Context Pathway(aka Context) Default view Area(aka Level or Site) ALL