Opportunities for Productising Garden Heritage in South Ostrobothnia

The aim of the Opportunities for Productising Garden Heritage in South Ostrobothnia project is to share knowledge about the region’s rich garden heritage with local residents, associations, businesses, and educational institutions. The project involves engaging rural local communities in collecting information on garden traditions and identifying traditional plant varieties, while also creating the conditions for utilising this heritage in tourism and in the restoration of historical gardens.

Through open, garden-themed workshops, the project will develop shared models for the maintenance of old gardens, disseminate knowledge, and build networks. The workshops will explore garden heritage and the potential for rural cultural tourism, old gardens as part of the rural cultural landscape, and the economic opportunities tied to garden heritage.

The workshops are an integral part of a participatory garden historical survey, which will document 10–20 old gardens using historical documents, interviews, and plant variety inventories. Special attention is given to old apple trees in the region. The Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) will conduct variety identification based on key external characteristics and genetic diversity comparisons, referencing the national gene bank of cultivated apple trees, which includes 170 distinct traditional varieties.

The project will also produce a range of communication materials on the topic, such as newspaper articles, videos, and a guidebook for rural stakeholders on inventorying and developing garden heritage. The initiative supports the preservation of rural cultural and natural heritage as well as the vitality of rural areas.

The project is implemented by three strong regional actors: the Ruralia Institute of the University of Helsinki, the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), and the Järviseutu Vocational Institute (JAMI), in partnership with the Pohjalainen Rakennusperintö Association, the South Ostrobothnia Garden Society, the Seinäjoki Museums, Lakeuden Vihertaimisto Oy (Seinäjoki), and Viherhietikko Oy (Kurikka). The project will take place from 2025 to 2027 and is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) for the 2023–2027 programme period.