FISH and Race for the Baltic meets inspiring citizens of Kalmar municipality – where local citizens are involved in increasing the sustainability of surrounding wetlands, as well as educating the community in different environmental processes and promoting cycling for a healthier Baltic Sea.
The Municipality of Kalmar is known for its involvement in sustainable development, as well as its interest in decreasing human impact on the environment. Race for the Baltic (RFTB) was involved in a two day study-visit with different projects throughout the community. On June 17th, RFTB visited Rockneby School where Renate Foks, Project Manager for the Water Council and Cycle initiative, led a half-day workshop for local teachers to learn more about the ecology and biology of the local stream. Participants and FISH were actively involved in simple investigations that showed what the presence of different organisms meant for the health of the stream. These simple environmental studies can easily be duplicated with young children up to adults and provides a fun hands-on way of learning about the local ecosystem.
Later that afternoon, cyclists and other members of the Race for the Baltic team were joined by Kalmarsunds Coastal Environmental Council (Kalmarsunds kustmiljöförening) at Kalmar Dam. This Council is a group of 15 non-profit organisations that work with clearing reeds that cause environmental problems for fish and other animals, as well as so that people are more able to enjoy the coast. They also promote how citizens can improve the health of the coast through practical work, interaction along the coast and further up on land where many emissions and leakage occur, spreading resources, knowledge and improved technologies, as well as to inform and influence people to work together for a better coastal environment around the Baltic Sea. Göran Fahlberg, president of Kalmarsunds Coastal Environmental Council, showed us how volunteers clear reeds with different types of machines. Cyclists and members of the RFTB team and were even allowed to try the different machines that clear reeds. To top off the day, RFTB were also met by Jan Herrmann, researcher and professor at Linnéuniversitet, he explained the reasons for reducing reeds, and also the importance of wetlands for natural filtering of chemicals, heavy metals and other pollutants before the water runs into the Baltic Sea.
On June 18th, Cyclists cycled 40 km to Nyttorp Dam and were met by Sune Axelsson, volunteer for Kalmarsunds Coastal Environmental Council, he showed us a newer watershed that was established in 2009 to filter and catch nutrient runoff from local farmlands. The watershed is built in three steps, where three ponds filter different nutrients and heavy metals from the runoff until the levels are safe enough to allow the runoff to enter the Baltic Sea. Sune and other volunteers work actively to improve the coastal environment and are the driving force behind the keeping the watershed working properly.
The visit to Kalmar was truly inspiring and worthwhile. These projects are great examples that citizens, when working together, can make a difference in reducing runoff and improving water quality that also indirectly improves conditions for fish reproduction.