The mission of the John Nurminen Foundation, established in 1992, is to save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations.
The objective of the Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects is to improve the status of the Baltic Sea with concrete measures that reduce the nutrient load and environmental risks faced by the sea. During the past more than ten years, the John Nurminen Foundation has launched over 30 Clean Baltic Sea projects, of which 20 have been completed. Through treating the wastewaters of St. Petersburg and reducing the discharges from the fertilizer factory by the river Luga alone, the annual eutrophicating phosphorus load of the Gulf of Finland has been successfully reduced by as much as 75%. In terms of environmental impact, the Foundation’s St. Petersburg project is one of the most significant water protection projects ever carried out in the Baltic Sea.
After the St. Petersburg project, launched in 2005, the Foundation has kicked off various other projects all through the Baltic Sea area, reducing the phosphorus load from wastewaters, and increasing the Clean Baltic Sea project activities also in Finland. Concrete Clean Baltic Sea projects are always planned with the goal of achieving as great an improvement in the status of the Baltic Sea as is possible with the funds invested. For each project, we calculate the price of one kilogram of removed phosphorus.
The Foundation’s publication and exhibition activities focus on the history of seafaring, exploration and cartography, and making them better known to the general public. The activities are supported by the Foundation’s extensive collections of marine art, maritime antiquities, and ancient maps. The Foundation publishes non-fiction books on related topics, and maintains the Loki online service, which is free for all.
OUR OPERATING PRINCIPLES: MEASURABLE RESULTS, TARGETED ACTIONS, CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION, AND INDEPENDENCE
The Baltic Sea belongs to us all, and we need to work in the places where we can achieve the greatest results. The strength of the John Nurminen Foundation is in its cross-border, independent operations in cooperation with various experts, researchers, and authorities. Our concrete work has already brought results, and today, the Baltic Sea is clearer than it was in the beginning of the current millennium. The nutrient load of the sea has been significantly reduced in the Gulf of Finland, and, at the same time, appreciation for our marine cultural heritage has increased.