Quality of life in rural areas: experiences and cooperation

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Quality of life in rural areas experiences and
cooperation
European Commission

• Brussels, 25 October 2004

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UTÖ A VIBRANT COMMUNITY ALL YEAR ROUND 

• Southwest Finlands outermost archipelago
• three consecutive Leader projects during the
  years 2001-2004
• to preserve year-round habitation and safeguard
  basic services
• applicant the Utö Home District Association

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LOCATION IN THE OUTERMOST ARCHIPELAGO
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SETTLED DURING THE 1740s TO SERVE SEAFARING
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POPULATION TODAY

• 40 all-year-round inhabitants (30 civilians and
  10 in the service of the army)
• approx. 30 conscripts in the military service
• approx. 10 native-born Utö residents who work on
  the mainland but pay their taxes to the local
  municipality
• approx. 150 return to the home island to spend
  the summer

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AGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE 40 ALL-YEAR INHABITANTS

• Population below the age of 20 20
• Working age population 55
• Population over the age of 60 25
• Percentage of unemployed 0
• Working population in the 3rd sector 100

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UTÖ TODAY
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BASIC SERVICES

• Water and sewer system
• Electricity since the 1940s
• All-year-round grocers and post office
• Municipal library
• Wireless broadband Internet connection
• Comprehensive school since 1884, classes 0-6
• Incredible nature

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AN EARLY MORNING IN THE SPRING
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INTERESTING BIRDLIFE
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THE LIGHTHOUSE AND PILOT STATION
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THE SPRING EIDER DUCKS
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IN THE MIDST OF NATURE
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IN THE SUMMER
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THE ANNUAL FISHING COMPETITION IN NOVEMBER
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A ROCK CONCERT BY LOCAL YOUNGSTERS
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THE BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECTS

• In 2001 the army announced that the islands
  military operations would be reduced
• The last governmental employer would vanish in a
  few years
• All-year vibrant community was threatened

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THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT

• To keep up the vibrant community all year round
• To preserve all services
• To search for new people to use the services
• To bring the properties released by the military
  into residential use
• To respect nature-based values and sustainable
  development
• To preserve the traditions and culture of the
  island

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THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECTS

• First project A village plan for Utö
• Second projectCreation of contacts with the
  Municipality of Korpo, the local military
  authority, Ministry of Defense and Senate
  Properties that owns the real estate left unused
  by the Finnish Army
• Third projectPlanning of a realty company for
  the administration of housing and creating a
  vision to the year 2010

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THE PROJECT SUPERVISOR,MS. JOHANNA PAKOLA
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PROBLEMS

• To find our negotiating partner from the public
  administration
• The slowness of the decision-making process in
  the public administration
• Utö has willing movers in the queue but the empty
  dwellings remain empty for a second year
• The decision from the municipalitys
  decision-makers is lacking

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THE PUBLICITY

• Lots of publicity in the media
• Attention from the Finnish government
• Almost 100 potential movers notified our project
  supervisor
• The profile of a potential mover

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UTÖ IN DECEMBER
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UTÖ IN JANUARY
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UTÖ IN FEBRUARY
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UTÖ IN MARCH
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THE RESULTS

• 10 new inhabitants
• The school continues
• The grocers still functions all year round
• Three new companies established
• Wireless broadband Internet connection
• Website www.uto.fi in Finnish, Swedish and
  English
• The spirit of doing things together

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MR JOHANNES KETOLA WITH HIS FAMILY, A NEWCOMER
AND ENTREPRENEUR
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MS. HANNA KOVANEN, A RETURNING MIGRANT AND
TOURIST OPERATOR
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MR. CAJ ÖSTERLUND, A RETURNING MIGRANT AND
TOURIST OPERATOR
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MR. MARKKU KARPIO AND MS. SUSANNA SJÖMAN, AN
AUTHOR AND A TRANSLATOR
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THE PLANNED REALTY COMPANY

• Takes care of the administration of housing
• Offers one job opportunity
• Rents out available dwellings for newcomers
• Planned shareholders
• The Municipality of Korpo (26 )
• The Utö Home District Association (26 )
• Åbo Akademi University Foundation (48 ) marine
  biology research unit

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THE ISLAND OF UTÖ- THE FUTURE (Convernet?)
/Military area
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THE BUDGET

• Total budget Public contribution Private
  contribution
• (used)
• Project 1 1 194.78 955.82 238.96
• (EU 50 477.91)
• (State 30 286.75)
• (municipalities 20 191.16)
• Project 2 33 533.54 26 826.84 6 706.70
• (EU 50 13 413.42)
• (State 30 8 048.05)
• (municipalities 20 5 365.37)
• Project 3 24 195.13 19 356.10 4 839.03
• (EU 50 9 678.05)
• (State 30 5 806.83)
• (municipalities 20 3 871.22)
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