Discover the achievements of the 2014-2020 NPA projects
Seven years of cooperation between people, communities, and organisations across thousands of kilometres made a difference in the Northern Periphery and Arctic regions.
Browse the NPA map of results to discover our stories of cooperation. Pick a dot from the map and scroll down to read about people who have met similar minded colleagues and together found solutions for their shared challenges.
Use the +/- buttons in the top left corner of the map to zoom in/out or click on the regions to display the NPA project stories.
Drones detecting invasive plant species
How drone technology can help sustainable management
On Hailuoto, the largest island in Bothnia Bay, COAST project explored how drones can be used to identify invasive plant species and how technological solutions can contribute to sustainable development of coastal regions. Hailuoto has a unique natural and cultural environment that is protected by various conservation programmes. Recently, invasive plant species have spread on the island challenging the local biodiversity. The most cost-efficient method to prevent invasive plants is to detect them early and remove them from the ground. Since drones can fly over large areas and even take pictures of local vegetation, they proved to be a great tool for identifying invasive species. The project cooperated closely with the local municipality and organized a series of workshops to engage the citizens in developing a local sustainability plan. A special emphasis was placed on connecting with the youth through Climate Coffee Break. During an online meeting, young people from the region got a chance to share their ideas on how climate actions should be handled.
Experience and other examples of using drones in Iceland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland, for more sustainable coastal management and informed decision-making were collected and presented in the Sustainable Resilient Coasts Toolkit.
Annukka Loukola
Municipality of HailuotoThe collaboration with the COAST project has been fruitful and pleasant. Hailuoto Municipality has received valuable information through the project, as well as very important new contacts and partners. I was very happy to participate in the project and believe that we can utilize the information gathered from it.