EKOenergy’s Environmental Fund
Volunteers restoring a river in a project funded from the Environmental Fund.
For each megawatt-hour sold as EKOenergy hydropower, a contribution of at least 0.10 euro (ten eurocents) is paid into EKOenergy’s Environmental Fund. The money from EKOenergy’s Environmental Fund is used to finance the implementation of river restoration projects.
The financed projects are not managed by EKOenergy. Once a year we organise a call for projects and a jury of independent experts helps us select the best projects.
For more information:
Virpi Sahi
Environmental Director, EKOenergy
virpi.sahi
sll.fi
+358 50 308 2457
Karlina Ozolina
Hydropower approvals, EKOenergy
karlina.ozolinasll.fi
Examples of finished river restoration projects
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- 50,000 € for removal of migration barriers in Pirkanmaa, Finland
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- 9,000 € for saving endangered freshwater pearl mussels in Finland
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- 8,000 € for restoring the brown trout population in Näsijärvi
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- 50,000 € to a number of restoration efforts along the Vihtijoki river.
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- 3,700 € to Merikarvianjoki Kalakierros organisation’s project to restore spawning habitats
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- 21,000 € to support the protection of the endangered thick-shelled river mussel
River restoration projects funded in 2019
- 24,000 € for raising the young freshwater pearl mussels and other protection measures (University of Jyväskylä): A follow up project for “Hunting the lost pearl” which EKOenergy has previously financed. The project also aims to start mapping possibilities for their return to nature.
- 25,000 € for river restoration measures in Maijalankoski (The Finnish Society for Stream Conservation, Virho) : The Maijalankoski rapid is no longer a productive area for fish and its biodiversity could be considerably improved. This project will support various river restoration activities, which would help enable the future reintroduction of salmon and freshwater pearl mussel.
- 12,500 € for a fish passage at Mommolankoski (Valonia): In the river Mommolanjoki there are three migration obstacles for migratory fish. This application is aiming to bypass the first obstacle coming from the river mouth.The main goal of this project is to design a fishway to the Mommolankoski dam. The fishway will be built after this project depending on funding and licences.
- 6000 € for a campaign at Sierilä, Kemijoki river (SLL Rovaniemi): Kemijoki is a heavily constructed river used for hydropower generation. With it’s unique sandy river banks, is home to the last surviving populations of many endangered plant and insect species. The aim of this project is to raise awareness about and prevent the building of the Sierilä dam on the last pristine stretch of the river Kemijoki. This is the continuation of the previously funded project.
River restoration projects funded in 2018
In 2018 The Environmental Fund financed seven river restoration projects, with total financing of 130,000 €. The projects are located in Finland and Germany:
- 8,000 € for Stream restoration in Lake Näsijärvi catchment area to re-establish brown trout populations
- 36,000 € for “Hunting the lost pearl”, to improve the conservation status of the endangered freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera).
- 25,000 € for “Let migration be free”, to restore trout habitats.
- 25,000 € for restoring river Isojoki for brown trout to spawn.
- 21,000 € for “Connection of a meander in Schnegaer Mühlenbach”.
- 10,000 € for Bless the Sieriniemi – Rowing event for the last remaining free-flowing part of River Kemijoki.
- 5,000 € for “Let River Mustijoki be a living salmon river” to re-establish a route for migratory fish such as seatrout.
See all the river restoration projects funded by EKOenergy’s Environmental Fund.
