The control measures for lupin start on 26 May, by which time the plant has grown sufficiently large for identification purposes. The control measures for Indian balsam start later, probably around mid-June.
Indian balsam and lupin are some of the most harmful invasive plant species in Helsinki, and they threaten the diversity of urban nature. It is difficult to remove them by machine in many places.
“Last year's experience of crowdsourced plant control was very positive. 173 people used the game to eliminate plants on approximately 90,000 square metres of land. It was a particularly pleasant surprise that so many young people were actively involved in the effort, even though very few young people participate in our open invasive species removal projects,” says Voluntary Work Coordinator Armi Koskela from the Urban Environment Division.
The game area is bordered by Ring I, Espoo, Vantaa and Itäväylä. The invasive plants can be removed in public areas. The area is the same as the previous year.
“We are focusing on a limited area to make our efforts effective and to ultimately eradicate the invasive species in the area entirely. The elimination will take several years and plenty of patience and repetition, but it is not impossible,” Koskela says.
Film invasive species and make money
Anyone can participate in the control mission by downloading the Crowdsorsa mobile game onto their phone.
When the player finds invasive species that have already been marked or identified on the map, they will video the occurrence before and after they have removed the plant. The videos are then uploaded to Crowdsorsa for verification, and approved videos will yield a reward that can be requested to the user’s bank account from the app.
This summer, Helsinki will be handing out a total of 12,000 euros in rewards for those taking part in the game. Players can earn up to 20 euros an hour. The game automatically calculates the fee based on the area, frequency and type of the occurrence.
“The plants can be rooted out by using a scythe or garden shears or by simply pulling by brute force. Do it your way! The most active participants have even bought string trimmers and made the game into a summer job for themselves,” says Crowdsorsa CEO Toni Paju.
The game will last as long as there is reward money to go around, and the progress of the control mission can be monitored via the app.
Crowdsorsa is an internationally acclaimed Tampere-based start-up whose mobile game has been used in Helsinki to map park benches and rubbish bins as well as accessibility and the condition of bike routes.
