Tampere’s Vuores district is a pioneer in nature-based solutions in Finland
This article is part of a series of publications in which stormwater experts from different cities share their cities’ journey in nature-based solutions for stormwater management. The City Blues project has come up with a transition scale which is used as a guideline to help cities describe and measure their progress in implementing nature-based solutions. The scale and descriptions of its stages can be found on the City Blues webpage: D1.3 Critical KPIs for the joint operational model design process.
How did the city become interested in nature-based solutions?
In Tampere, nature-based solutions for stormwater management have been implemented since the late 2000s. At that time, the city of Tampere hired its first employee to design and implement nature-based solutions. One of the first projects was the Vuores district, where stormwater management has been planned and executed entirely with nature-based solutions, such as various alluvial meadows, wetlands and open channels and basins. Construction in Vuores began in 2008.
At that time, pressure for stormwater management came from local residents who were concerned about the condition of the area’s small streams and lakes, as well as the upcoming Housing Fair, which was held in Vuores in 2012. The area was ambitiously intended to be the largest nature-based stormwater management system in Finland and Northern Europe at the time. Since then, stormwater management plans have become an integral part of the general planning and zoning of new residential areas and other construction projects.
What are the main benefits of the solutions?
In the City of Tampere, the main benefits of nature-based solutions have been their ability to purify rainwater and meltwater, to control the amount of water flowing in ditches, thus preventing flooding, and to increase biodiversity. “When considering the broad urban context, studies have shown high purification levels for stormwater; all monitoring indicates that concentrations and flows in ditches and streams have remained at the same level or even lower than before construction.” Additionally, residents of the Vuores area have been interviewed, and they have found the stormwater solutions to be positive, enhancing the area’s attractiveness and potentially improving people’s perceived well-being.
On what transition stage would you rate the work of the city?
The city is likely to be positioned in the highest categories of the transition scale. In Tampere, stormwater management has been strongly integrated into various strategic documents, there is political support for planning, and there are good practices and routines for planning and implementation. Indeed, Tampere has a total of around 110 nature-based solutions, in addition to some 1200 km of ditches.
The private sector has so far not contributed to the financing of stormwater solutions on city land, but on the other hand the city collects a stormwater fee from private property owners or tenants of city-owned land, which covers the costs of stormwater management for the municipality. The division of responsibilities in stormwater management is clear, and the model is reasonably effective.
What are the main challenges for nature-based solutions?
The main challenges in managing stormwater in Tampere are the lack of space in the built environment and the fact that, for example in the city centre, water has been drained up to four metres underground, making it difficult to bring it back to the surface. Open channels and basins are often the basis of nature-based solutions.
Another challenge is Tampere’s soil, which in many places is rocky and clayey, making it difficult to infiltrate water. In addition, other values considered in zoning planning, such as cultural-historical and natural values, like the movement corridors of Siberian flying squirrels, sometimes prevent the placement of stormwater solutions in these valuable areas. Also on private plots, the condition and effectiveness of stormwater solutions is difficult to monitor, which is a clear risk.
What are some aspects that could be further developed?
More attention and development should be paid to the functionality of floodwater routes in the future. In addition, better methods should be found for effectively purifying stormwater in existing sewered areas. For example, in the city centre of Tampere, there are many old sewer systems underground, and it is difficult to install technical purifiers and meters there. They are also expensive and would need to be installed in large numbers, so we hope that technology will improve and prices will fall.
What advice would you give to other cities?
Even if it is not possible to install purifiers in the existing sewer network, it is still possible to control the load on the water bodies by installing different basin solutions in the catchment areas. They help to control flows and erosion, which is especially important for the quality and cleanliness of small water bodies.