Novel wood-based constructions for freshwater management in forestry (Puumavesi)
Main funder
Funder's project number: YM14/481/2018
Funds granted by main funder (€)
- 21 078,34
Funding program
Project timetable
Project start date: 01/09/2018
Project end date: 31/12/2020
Summary
The growing exploitation of forests, together with the changing climate pose a severe risk of increasing loading of nutrients, organic material and mercury to fresh waters. In this consortium project, we will develop a novel approach to enhance protection of fresh waters from the harmful effects of diffuse loading from forestry. The method is cheap and employs natural ‘self-purification’ processes of aquatic environments. We will introduce wood-based constructions to streams to enhance mechanical retention of materials, and to provide ample surface for biofilm and other biota. These will retain materials, including nutrients, to be, at least partly, returned back to the terrestrial ecotone. The method potentially applies to other sources of nutrient and pollution loading, including agriculture, surface runoff, peat mining and aquaculture.
