Organised by the ELY Centre of Southwest Finland, the VELHO Project has aimed to develop cost-effective solutions for the problems brought about by overgrowth of reeds and other vegetation in coastal areas, by creating a new concept of multiple use planning (integrative planning) in coastal areas, improving the practical use of the common reed and preparing proposals for the new Rural Development Programme. This publication describes and details the results of this work and the conclusions drawn from it. A total of three coastal area multiple use plans were drawn up during the project. These were for the Sarsalanaukko and Musta-aukko areas in Mynälahti, the Oukkulanlahti – Naantalinaukko and Eurajoki – Luvia coastal areas. The plans aimed to fit together the different uses of coastal areas and to find an optimal network for reed beds cut for practical use, open coastal meadows and protected reed beds. The planning aimed at cost-effectiveness by directing nature management procedures to broad entities, as well as initiating practical use of the common reed. The plans were drawn up during an extensive process that encouraged participation. The multiple use plans for coastal areas drawn up during the project detail different types of land use objectives and management recommendations for areas covering over 2,000 hectares. In addition to reed beds and coastal meadows, planning also applies to fields near the coast, boundary zones and other traditional biotopes. The project’s nature management procedures aim at improving the area’s biodiversity, the state of its waters, opening up of the landscape and facilitating recreational use of the area. The different methods for harvesting reeds (winter harvesting, water harvesting and land harvesting) were tested on a 90 hectare area. In addition to land harvesting, crushing reeds was also tested as an option for restoration of coastal meadows. Tests on the practical use of reed mass included the preliminary treatment and practical use of two different types of reed, i.e. fresh summer reeds and dry winter reeds, in energy production (burning, biogas) and agriculture (soil improvement, green manure, litter, roofing material). New proposals were made for the Rural Development Programme with regard to development of subsidy types: increased restoration of coastal meadows and improving the quality of nature management, water harvesting of reeds to eliminate nutrients as well as use of reed masses as manure.
Based on the experiences in this project, one of the most cost-effective way to care for reed beds was to harvest them in late summer and utilise the mass resulting from the harvest as green manure and soil improver in nearby fields. It was found that the summer harvest of one hectare of reeds rids the area of approximately 80 kg of nitrogen and 7 kg of phosphorous. In addition to improving water conservation, harvesting improves the habitats of those species that suffer from over growth. When used in fields, the handling and processing chain is short and does not require long transport. Reed mass recycles nutrients back into fields and improved soil structure. Practical use of the common reed cannot cover the cost of harvesting and other use. Due to the numerous material and immaterial ecosystem benefits gained from harvesting and practical use, society should allocate funds to these activities and create support methods that would promote their continued use. Cost-effectiveness can be further improved by developing machinery and methods.