Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥

The project is coordinated by the Department of Biological and Environmental Science at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥. Metsähallitus Parks and Wildlife, Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd and the Centres for Economic Development, Transport and Environment of Pirkanmaa, South Ostrobothnia and Southwest Finland are partners in Finland. From Sweden, the county administrative board of Norrbotten, Swedish Anglers Association, and forest companies SCA Skog AB and Sveaskog Förvaltnings AB are involved. In Estonia, the objectives of the project are furthered by the University of Tartu and the State Forest Management Centre.

Finland

Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥

Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ is the leading Finnish and internationally recognised unit focusing on science-based conservation of the freshwater pearl mussel. Research on the conservation of the freshwater pearl mussel at the university of Jyväskylä is performed in the Department of Biological and Environmental Science, having the excellent facilities at the Konnevesi Research Station. The LIFE Revives project is led by professor Jouni Taskinen and project manager Heidi Kunttu.

Centres for Economic Development, Transport, and the Environment of Pirkanmaa, South Ostrobothnia and Southwest Finland

The Centres for Economic Development, Transport, and the Environment (ELY Centre) are responsible for the regional implementation and development tasks of the central government. In the area of environment, the ELY Centres tasks are environment monitoring, environmental protection, nature conservation, management of cultural landscapes, use and protection of water resources and steering of land use. The environmental sections of the ELY Centres are involved in the LIFE Revives project.

Metsähallitus Parks and Wildlife & Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd

Metsähallitus, Parks and Wildlife is a public authority responsible for management of most of the state-owned areas in Finland. It is also responsible for the nation-wide protection and management of these areas and their habitats and species, in terrestrial, marine and freshwater areas. Metsähallitus Parks and Wildlife has strong experience in developing and applying freshwater pearl mussel conservation and in-stream restoration methodologies as well as inventory and monitoring techniques of freshwater habitats and species.

Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd is responsible for maintaining state-owned managed forests covering 4,8 million hectares. The forests are open for a wide range of users and variety of purposes, including different kinds of outdoor recreation. Metsähallitus Forestry safeguards biodiversity in multiple-use forests also by actively managing important habitats, e.g mire and stream restoration, removal of barriers to fish migration in watercourses, prescribed burning and control of invasive alien species. In LIFE Revives areas managed by Metsähallitus Forestry Ltd have an important role both in improving and maintaining the improved habitats of freshwater pearl mussels.

Sweden

County Administrative Board of Norrbotten

The County Administrative Board of Norrbotten is responsible for the regional implementation of decisions made by the government and the parliament. The main objective is the sustainable development of the region. The County Administrative Board of Norrbotten is responsible for the regional physical planning, environmental monitoring and environmental protection, including management of the protected nature and Natura 2000 sites and integrated water management. Employees of the County Administrative Board of Norrbotten have a long-term experience of the restoration projects in rivers and many LIFE projects.

Sveaskog Förvaltings AB & SCA Skog AB

Sveaskog is a private forest company that is certified by FSC® that is certified by FSC and PEFC (FSC -C012140). The environmental work within the company is extensive to reach the best possible results both from environmental and production view. Within the LIFE Revives project will work to reduce the fragmentation of water systems as a cause of poorly constructed or old road culverts.

SCA Skog AB is the Europe's’ largest private forest owner (2,6 million hectares). Over 75 % of the forestland is used for active forestry, of which approximately 5 % is excluded from felling to preserve natural values of the forest. The forest is managed on a long-term basis and provides the base of SCA raw material integration. SCA’s forests are managed to sustainably yield valuable wood raw material, while the forests nature qualities are preserved.

The Swedish Anglers Association

The Swedish Anglers Association (Sportfiskarna) is the national organisation for the representation of the interests of recreational anglers in Sweden. Founded in 1919, Sportfiskarna today organise more than 65 000 members and 400 affiliated regional clubs. Currently over two million Swedes fish recreationally every year and sportfishing is the primary interest of over 400 000 citizens. The primary goal of Sportfiskarna is to ensure strong and healthy fish stocks in clean waters.

Sportfiskarna work in diverse fields such as water and environmental conservation projects and research, promotion of youth activities giving children and young people the opportunity to discover the joys of nature and angling, and environmental information campaigns. Sportfiskarna also operates a practical fisheries management program through its regional offices. Projects which have been completed include the removal of man-made barriers and the restoration of rivers after timber floating by the logging industry, both of which assist the migration of fish populations, and work in restoring populations of freshwater pearl mussels.

Estonia

University of Tartu

University of Tartu is the oldest and largest university in Estonia. The Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Department of Geology and Estonian Marine Institute will be conducting monitoring and research activities in Life Revives. The research area of Institute of Ecology and Earth sciences covers the fields of plant and ecosystem ecology, hydrology, soil biology, bioinformatics and greenhouse gas fluxes. Department of Geology is a leading institution in Estonia with hydrogeology, geomorphology, and linked hydrology research. It has all the necessary field equipment for soil, sediments and water monitoring in-situ and sampling. Estonian Marine Institute has monitored salmon and brown trout parr densities for several decades and has extensive experience in assessing the status of salmonid populations. The institute provides scientifically solid population status assessment and research-based management advice to stakeholders on a local and regional scale.

State Forest Management Centre

The State Forest Management Centre (Riigimetsa Majandamise Keskus, RMK) manages 45 % of the Estonian forest (ca 1 million hectares) and devotes attention to managing the landscape sustainably and efficiently, ensuring the preservation and augmentation of the ecological, social and cultural assets. The State Forest Management Centre is also in charge of nature conservation works on state lands (1,4 million hectares) and has profound experience in ecological restoration, including restoring habitats for endangered plant and animal species and removing obstacles from the migration roads of fish. Põlula Fish Rearing Centre (part of RMK) concentrates on ex-situ conservation of rare and endangered aquatic species, such as supporting of the reproduction of the freshwater pearl mussel, Atlantic sturgeon, salmon and whitefish. RMK is the largest performer of nature protection works in Estonia.