Archipelago Sea
About the supersite
The Archipelago Sea in southwestern Finland is unique because of its thousands of islands, islets, and skerries. The Supersite consists of the Archipelago Sea and its catchments.
The Archipelago Sea has been recognized as a national priority in Finland, with policy measures focusing on reducing nutrient loading, particularly from agriculture, to mitigate eutrophication. The aim of the governmental Archipelago Sea Programme is to remove the area from the HELCOM list of nutrient pollution hotspots in the Baltic Sea.
The Archipelago Sea Supersite is a multidisciplinary research platform dedicated to understanding how land use, environmental change, and water management influence the archipelago. Research focuses on quantifying nutrient, sediment, and pollutant loads transported from catchments to the Archipelago Sea, identifying their sources, pathways, and impacts on coastal ecosystems.
The supersite also supports the development and testing of sustainable agricultural and urban water management practices, while assessing the effects of climate change and the potential of nature-based solutions to improve water quality and strengthen resilience. Close collaboration with landowners, farmers, authorities, and other stakeholders supports the effective implementation of measures.
Aurajoki and its tributary Savijoki
Uskelanjoki, Halikonjoki & Halikonlahti estuary
Airisto Inlet
Fluxes and pressures
Analysis of nutrient, sediment, and material fluxes from source to sea under changing climate and land-use conditions.
Data integration
Integration of long-term monitoring, computational modelling, remote sensing, field observations, and citizen science data.
Monitoring networks
Development and harmonization of regional monitoring networks to support targeted water protection measures.
Nature-based solutions
Exploring nature-based solutions for reducing nutrient runoff and improving water quality.
Stakeholder engagement
Incorporating landowner and farmer perspectives into the design and implementation of management measures.
- Intensive land use, especially agriculture, drives high nutrient loading from the catchment to the Archipelago Sea.
- Ecological status is degraded, with eutrophication, biodiversity loss, and oxygen depletion being the main challenges.
- Climate change increases water temperatures and intensifies extreme events, such as winter runoff, exacerbating eutrophication.
- Limited and fragmented data hinder effective targeting water protection measures.
