The Rafael Kuusakoski Memorial Fund, established in 2000, is dedicated to supporting young researchers, particularly those working on projects related to Baltic Sea birdlife, the ecology and biodiversity of the archipelago, marine ecology, climate, and landscape conservation.

This year, scholarships were awarded as follows:

• Working Grant from the Rafael Kuusakoski Memorial Fund: MSc Sebastian Andrejeff doctoral research: “The impact of invasive predators on endangered wetland birds”, €6,600
• Arkipelagia Association, SaariKerttu: conservation project for the barred warbler, €5,000
• Film production company Swamphead Ltd., Creaturama – Epic of Animals, €5,000
• M.Sc. Jukka Hintikka and working group, The rock pipit in a changing environment: nest site selection, survival, migration strategies and natal dispersal, €1,000
• M.Sc. Juha Kinnunen and working group, Survey of rare insect and fungal species in the Archipelago Sea in Southwest Finland, €1,400
• Lic.Sc. Pertti Koskimies, Ospreys in Southeast Finland: population and conservation biology study, €1,000
• B.Sc. Siiri Nousiainen, Master’s thesis: “Prey abundance of the starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) in agricultural environments”, €1,400

In total, the Finnish Foundation for Nature Conservation awarded €83,900 to 28 different projects this year. Alongside the Rafael Kuusakoski Memorial Fund, grants were also awarded from the Baltic Sea Fund and the Nature Conservation Fund. A total of 124 applications were received.

Read more: https://luonnonsuojelunsaatio.fi/in-english/