Finnish nature watch marks 50 years of tracking spring’s arrival

The annual Kevätseuranta (Spring Watch) campaign, organised by the Finnish Nature League and the Finnish Museum of Natural History, celebrates its 50th anniversary this weekend, reports Finnish news agency STT. The initiative encourages people to observe and record early signs of spring in plants and animals.

Participants are asked to submit their observations to the Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility’s laji.fi database, where the data supports scientific research on species distribution and seasonal changes. The campaign promotes outdoor activity while collecting valuable long-term ecological data.

Since its launch in 1974, Kevätseuranta has relied on public contributions to track the progression of spring across Finland. This year’s observations will add to five decades of records documenting shifts in nature’s annual cycles.