Luonto-Liitto, Finland

Luonto-Liitto (Finland)
Photographer
Cartina / Henrik Kettunen
The Organisation for the Protection of Nature and the Environment’s campaign “Keep up with spring” is nominated for its work to inspire people in general and young people in particular to get out into the countryside and observe the advance of spring.

500-900 people every year submit almost 10,000 observations to the campaign. Apart from the year’s first observations of species, date and distribution, special observation weekends are also organized. With the collection of the year’s first observations the campaign seeks to inspire people to keep their years and eyes open, when they are moving about outdoors. The campaign co-operates amongst other things with the natural history museum at Helsinki University and is found in a Swedish language version with their partner “Nature and Environment”. In addition, the campaign seeks to spread interest for experiences in nature through newspaper articles, radio and TV, as well as the campaign's own website, where a lot of information and guidelines for the submission of observations and previous years' observations can be found. ”Keep up with spring” is also organizing the campaign “The wind of spring – keep up with spring for children”, which is specially adapted for families, after-school activities and schools.