Joint cross-border environmental monitoring system (KA5016)
Funded by Karelia CBC 2014-2020

Objective of the project

Increasing the environmental awareness of the people and organizations on the both sides of the border.

Main activities

• Modernisation of water and air monitoring systems located in pilot areas of Karelia and Finland - Selection and installation of effective and efficient technical solutions and relevant equipment for automated monitoring stations (AMS) in Karelia and Finland; • Creation and testing of the GIS internet-based platform for monitoring data records, maintenance and delivery to people and interested organisations. • Capacity building actions for the staff members of partners and other project stakeholders, including exchange and adaptation of methods and technologies of water quality monitoring used in Russia and Finland - On-job training of specialists of laboratories for improvement of theoretical and practical skills (methods and technologies of research) in the field of environmental data analysis. - Joint seminars and workshops for partners and stakeholders carried out by SYKE and Karelian CHEM devoted to discussion on methods and technologies of data collection, analysis and delivery to various users. • Elaboration of common approaches and joint principles of environmental monitoring (water and air) - Development and adoption of a Strategy and an Action Plan for joint Karelian-Finnish for upcoming 5-6 years including corresponding measures to be implemented in the field of environmental monitoring, data analysis and delivery. - Dissemination of the developed Strategy via Roshydromet structures and Joint Russian-Finnish Commission documentation.

Achievements

EcoBridge project general idea was the provision of relevant and up-to-date environmental data for specialists and to wide range of organisations. Exactly for this purpose the project modernised water and air monitoring equipment, developed a joint database on water quality data accessible for Finnish and Russian experts. As a result, the project achieved the following specific objective - The environmental awareness of people and organizations on the both sides of the border has increased. The following outputs and results were achieved in order to reach the specific objective: Output 1. Environment monitoring facilities in the selected pilot areas of Karelia and Finland are introduced or modernised. Three brand new automatic hydrochemical monitoring stations (AMSs) were installed on rivers Tulemajoki, Uuksunjoki and Olonka. Air quality monitoring station in Ilomantsi (FMI) was reconstructed an fully equipped. Output 2. Internet-based information system for eco-monitoring data collection, operation and delivery to end users is developed. Database for experts (with restricted access) was developed by Arbonaut OY and is available at https://eniecobridge.arbonaut.com/arboaqua/. Water quality data from 3 rivers are automatically delivered to common users through Internet site - https://kareliameteo.ru/pogoda/monitoring-kachestva-vody/. Output 3. Higher level of knowledge and skills of employees of partner organizations in modern requirements, methods and technologies of water and air quality monitoring. Russian partners (e.g. staff members) took part in joint workshops, discussions and site visits to Finland for the best practices adoption. Comparative analysis of equipment and methods of analysis of river water samples process took place in Jan 2019. In September 2019 KarCHEM IT expert went to Joensuu office of Arbonaut for training. Study trip to Helsinki for KarCHEM lab workers was organized by SYKE and FMI in May 2019 (Study Visit report is attached). In October 2019, project staff of FMI and SYKE visited Petrozavodsk for a two-day event where they had a chance to see how their Russian colleagues work in KarCHEM laboratory and meteostation. Video presentation of air monitoring system in Finland with Russian subtitles was produced by FMI in September - https://youtu.be/hqTf9ciOdoE. Output 4. Coordinated approaches and joint principles of environmental monitoring are developed and disseminated to project stakeholders in Finland (by SYKE and FMI) and Russia - Intercallibration report (April, 2019), Project Newsletter (June, 2019) and the Final brochure (printed in Sept 2020) and project was presented to the Joint Russian-Finnish Commission on the use of Border Waters in April,19 and Sept,20.