Balticsea 2020

Living coastal zone

During the spring of 2011, work began on BalticSea2020's large-scale coastal zone project Living Coast, a demonstration project under the direction of associate professor Emil Rydin and Dr Linda Kumblad. In a bay in the Stockholm archipelago, the project is to test various measures designed to solve problems caused by eutrophication.

Background
BalticSea2020 started the Living Coast project because we believe that a large, integrated demonstration project in the coastal zone is an important and powerful initiative to show the effects of restoration measures. The project is also important in the long term, as it clears the way for several similar initiatives.

Objective
The aim of the project is to implement known measures – both on land and in the water – to improve water quality, reduce growth of filamentous algae and regain oxygen-rich bottoms and a natural fish community in a coastal area that is limited but representative of the Baltic Sea.
BalticSea2020 aims in this way to show that it is possible to achieve good ecological status, which is important from the point of view of conservation, fish production and not least recreation. The ultimate objective of the project is to create a "white paper" on how damaged coastal areas can be restored and on the associated costs. The white paper is to include an account of how we proceeded and how cost-effective various measures are. The white paper is also to make recommendations to future users such as municipalities and associations.

A bay in the municipality of Värmdö – a Baltic Sea in miniature
Following detailed studies of flora and fauna, it has been found that the inlets and bays of Björnöfjärden, Säbyviken and Torpe-Infjärden in the municipality of Värmdö are in need of restoration. This bay system shows many similarities to the Baltic Sea as a whole, for example limited water exchange with the sea off the bays and the fact that the deeper parts of the bays have oxygen deficiency with very high levels of unfixed nutrients. In Björnöfjärden, Säbyviken and Torpe-Infjärden there are opportunities to combine measures on shore and in the water to achieve local improvements in water quality and fish production and at the same time generate new knowledge on ways of improving the situation for the whole of the Baltic Sea.

Measures
The measures that need to be taken include reducing the supply of nutrients from drains and ditches, but also binding earlier phosphorus emissions to the bottom sediment in the bays, as well as restoring a natural fish community. The first measure that has been planned is to bind phosphorus in the inlet's sediments in 2012. To read more about the measure and how binding proceeds – click here.

To view a schematic illustration of the planned measures for Björnöfjärden (in Swedish) – click here

Preparatory studies and follow-up of results
To be able to evaluate the effect of the measures implemented, careful measurements are being made of water quality, extent of oxygen-free bottoms and flora and fauna. Alongside measurements in Björnöfjärden, Säbyviken and Torpe-Infjärden, two more bays, Fjällsviksviken/Djuröviken and Skarpösundet, are being studied as reference bays.
Monitoring measurements of water quality, phytoplankton and zooplankton are performed at intervals of two to four weeks. This monitoring will continue throughout the project period and will be important in enabling the effects of measures to be seen. Investigation of oxygen-free bottoms, underwater vegetation and bottom fauna and trial fishing will be carried out annually until 2016 to follow up and evaluate the expected positive change.
Further information about studies and results is listed under project material on the right. For more information about the environment in Björnöfjärden – click here.

For more comprehensive reports regerading the project Living coastal zone, visit the Swedish website. (The reports are in Swedish).

Notification of 12:6 consultation to the county administrative board

On February 9, 2012 BalticSea2020 organized a 12:6 consultation regarding initiatives ahead of the first measure in Björnöfjärden in Värmdö, to inform landowners and other interested parties on the planned environmental protection measures in Björnöfjärden on Ingarö. After the consultation a notification was sent to the county administrative board for consideration. On the basis of the notification, the county administrative board will make a decision with instructions on whether the measure may be implemented or not. The consideration period is normally six weeks, and then it is possible to appeal the decision within a period of three weeks. If the county administration board grant notification, action in Björnöfjärden commence no earlier than late April / May.
 
We will keep you updated on what is happening in the project on this website. Do you have any questions or thoughts? Do not hesitate to contact us at the foundation or visit our Facebook page "BalticSea2020".

At the same time we wish to thank everyone who has shown an interest in our Living Coastal zone-project and who attended the consultative meeting in Värmdö.