Urban natural diversity and functionality through the OmaStadi scheme
Lassi Jalonen from Vuosaari does not like lawns.
“They are actually just green asphalt, with nothing growing on them or living in them. I can understand small lawns, but large areas do not make any sense,” he says.
Jalonen is an amateur entomologist. Every summer, he works part time on mapping nature and is involved in the lepidopterist association Suomen Perhostutkijain seura. It is because of insects that Jalonen has submitted proposals to OmaStadi in which lawn areas in the city are replaced with meadows.
OmaStadi is a direct influencing tool for residents of Helsinki: it is a form of participatory budgeting where residents can propose improvements to Helsinki. The proposals are then put to a vote, and the City implements the most popular proposals.
Jalonen’s proposals concerning meadows have advanced to the implementation phase. This summer, meadows and new vegetation areas will be established in e.g. the park area in Kurranummi and the Kottaraispuisto park. Later on, plants will be planted and meadows created in other areas as well.