Over the past decades, reed beds have expanded dramatically along the Baltic Sea’s coast. This overgrowth has increased the necessity of finding innovative solutions for reed utilisation. The BalticReed project addresses this by harvesting dense reed beds to circulate nutrients from the Baltic Sea, thereby improving water quality and restoring coastal habitats. Each hectare of reed bed harvested removes approximately 5-10 kg of phosphorus and 50-100 kg of nitrogen, significantly reducing nutrient levels in coastal waters.

Well-planned reed harvesting not only enhances the condition and biodiversity of overgrown coastal areas but also considers the preservation of essential nesting and hiding places for birds, fish, and insect species. The harvested reed biomass is recycled and repurposed for land use. In collaboration with commercial stakeholders, the project will identify bottlenecks and opportunities for the commercialisation of reed-based products. Pilots for these products and value chains will be conducted, ensuring that reed harvesting is legislatively and ecologically sustainable. Through these efforts the project will achieve concrete nutrient reductions and habitat improvements in Finland, Åland, and Sweden.

Project Activities

• Coordinate and implement reed harvest operations in cooperation with target groups

• Reed based value-chain development

• Implement harvesting pilots in cooperation with target groups

• Development of sustainability guidance for reed harvest