Crowdsourcing inspired 27 residents

Residents of Janakkala welcomed Crowdsorsa very warmly. This summer was the first time that invasive alien species control in Janakkala was carried out encouraged by the Crowdsorsa mobile app. In total there were 27 active controllers taking part as players.

In Janakkala, a total of 2,000 euros was distributed to participants in the game. The game would have ended at the latest on August 31, but the game budget in Janakkala was already exhausted in early August.

The invasive alien species targeted were Himalayan balsam and lupins on areas owned by the municipality. After 50% of the budget had been used following Midsummer, Crowdsorsa’s playing area was limited to the areas that had already been treated. Follow-up control of the areas increased the effectiveness of eliminating invasive alien species from those locations.

Crowdsorsa gamifies invasive alien species control, which can activate and encourage especially young residents to take part in eliminating invasive alien species. This worked quite well in Janakkala: at best, 43.48% of the participants were teenagers. Activating young people in Janakkala has been successful also in national comparison, since last year roughly one-third of those who took part in invasive alien species tasks were young people.

With the help of Crowdsorsa, you can take part in invasive alien species control again next summer.

You can read more about harmful invasive species on the invasive species pages.

The guideline is that if you collect large amounts of harmful lupins, Himalayan balsam or giant hogweeds from municipal areas, the collected plants can be crushed/trampled into the ground at that location. Harmful plants collected from your own yard can be taken to Kiertokapula free of charge.

Until the end of August 2026, invasive alien species plant waste can also be delivered packed to the collection platform at Taimistotie 4.