1. Quality of life in rural areas: experiences and cooperation Brussels, 25 October 2004 European Commission

2. UTÖ – A VIBRANT COMMUNITY ALL YEAR ROUND Southwest Finland’s outermost archipelago  three consecutive Leader+ projects during the years 2001-2004  to preserve year-round habitation and safeguard basic services  applicant the Utö Home District Association

3. LOCATION IN THE OUTERMOST ARCHIPELAGO Turku Utö 50 km 4 hrs 50 km 1,5 hrs

4. SETTLED DURING THE 1740s TO SERVE SEAFARING

5. UTÖ AT THE END OF 1800s

6. POPULATION TODAY  40 all-year-round inhabitants (30 civilians and 10 in the service of the army)  approx. 30 conscripts in the military service  approx. 10 native-born Utö residents who work on the mainland but pay their taxes to the local municipality  approx. 150 return to the home island to spend the summer

7. AGE DISTRIBUTION OF THE 40 ALL-YEAR INHABITANTS  Population below the age of 20: 20 %  Working age population: 55 %  Population over the age of 60: 25 %  Percentage of unemployed: 0 %  Working population in the 3rd sector: 100 %

8. UTÖ TODAY

9. BASIC SERVICES  Water and sewer system  Electricity since the 1940s  All-year-round grocer’s and post office  Municipal library  Wireless broadband Internet connection  Comprehensive school since 1884, classes 0-6  Incredible nature

10. AN EARLY MORNING IN THE SPRING

11. INTERESTING BIRDLIFE

12. THE LIGHTHOUSE AND PILOT STATION

13. THE SPRING – EIDER DUCKS

14. IN THE MIDST OF NATURE

15. IN THE SUMMER

16. THE ANNUAL FISHING COMPETITION IN NOVEMBER

17. A ROCK CONCERT BY LOCAL YOUNGSTERS

18. THE BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECTS  In 2001 the army announced that the island’s military operations would be reduced  The last governmental employer would vanish in a few years  All-year vibrant community was threatened

19. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT  To keep up the vibrant community all year round  To preserve all services  To search for new people to use the services  To bring the properties released by the military into residential use  To respect nature-based values and sustainable development  To preserve the traditions and culture of the island

20. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECTS  First project: A village plan for Utö  Second project: Creation of contacts with the Municipality of Korpo, the local military authority, Ministry of Defense and Senate Properties that owns the real estate left unused by the Finnish Army  Third project: Planning of a realty company for the administration of housing and creating a vision to the year 2010

21. THE PROJECT SUPERVISOR, MS. JOHANNA PAKOLA

22. PROBLEMS  To find our negotiating partner from the public administration  The slowness of the decision-making process in the public administration  Utö has willing movers in the queue but the empty dwellings remain empty for a second year  The decision from the municipality’s decision-makers is lacking

23. THE PUBLICITY  Lots of publicity in the media  Attention from the Finnish government  Almost 100 potential movers notified our project supervisor  The profile of a potential mover

24. UTÖ IN DECEMBER

25. UTÖ IN JANUARY

26. UTÖ IN FEBRUARY

27. UTÖ IN MARCH

28. THE RESULTS  10 new inhabitants  The school continues  The grocer’s still functions all year round  Three new companies established  Wireless broadband Internet connection  Website www.uto.fi in Finnish, Swedish and Englishwww.uto.fi  The spirit of doing things together

29. MR JOHANNES KETOLA WITH HIS FAMILY, A NEWCOMER AND ENTREPRENEUR

30. MS. HANNA KOVANEN, A RETURNING MIGRANT AND TOURIST OPERATOR

31. MR. CAJ ÖSTERLUND, A RETURNING MIGRANT AND TOURIST OPERATOR

32. MR. MARKKU KARPIO AND MS. SUSANNA SJÖMAN, AN AUTHOR AND A TRANSLATOR

33. THE PLANNED REALTY COMPANY  Takes care of the administration of housing  Offers one job opportunity  Rents out available dwellings for newcomers  Planned shareholders:  The Municipality of Korpo (26 %)  The Utö Home District Association (26 %)  Åbo Akademi University Foundation (48 %) marine biology research unit

34. THE ISLAND OF UTÖ - THE FUTURE (Convernet?) /Military area

35. THE BUDGET Total budgetPublic contributionPrivate contribution (used) Project 11 194.78955.82238.96 (EU 50%477.91) (State 30 % 286.75) (municipalities 20% 191.16) Project 233 533.5426 826.846 706.70 (EU 50%13 413.42) (State 30% 8 048.05) (municipalities 20% 5 365.37) Project 324 195.1319 356.104 839.03 (EU 50% 9 678.05) (State 30%5 806.83) (municipalities 20%3 871.22) _______________________________________________________________________ TOTAL58 923.4547 138.7611 784.69 (EU 50%23 569,38)(2171.48 by voluntary (State 30%14 141.63)work) (municipalities 20% 9 427.75)