Combating invasive species with a mobile game

The game offers local residents the chance to take part in practical voluntary work to benefit the local environment and earn rewards for their efforts.  

The invasive alien species targeted for control in Tuusula are Indian Balsam and Lupin. Invasive species are plants and animals that spread to new areas with human assistance and displace native species. Harmful invasive species undermine biodiversity and can result in significant costs for environmental management. 

This year, there is a particular focus on encouraging the weeding of Indian Balsam, with higher rewards than usual on offer. The work should begin well in advance of the plants’ seed-setting stage to ensure that the control measures are as effective as possible. 

– Indian Balsam spreads effectively via seeds carried by water. That is why it is important to control the species, particularly along the shores of Lake Tuusula and the River Tuusula, as well as other waterways, says Laura Turpeinen, a green space specialist from Tuusula Municipality.   

This is how the defence works 

Players search for invasive plant species within the app’s map area. Identifying plant species by their leaves is particularly important in early summer, at the start of the growing season, as flowers do not appear on the plants until later in the summer. 

Once they have found a suitable site, players film the area by walking around it. Once they have removed all the invasive plants from the site, they walk around the same area again and film the results of their work. A red plant icon appears on the map to mark the area that has just been cleared. 

 You can treat a target that has already been treated once again as soon as the plant icon on the game map changes from red to green. This usually happens around two weeks after the first treatment. 

Videos must be uploaded to Crowdsorsa for review within 72 hours of filming. A reward is paid for approved submissions, which you can request via the app to be transferred to your bank account. 

– Last year, participants in the invasive species campaign cleared invasive species from an area of over 2.8 million square metres in Finland. That is a tremendous achievement. I believe we can set a new record again this summer, says Toni Paju, CEO of Crowdsorsa. 

Updated app, more effective protection 

The Crowdsorsa mobile game has been made more user-friendly based on feedback from players as well as local authorities and cities. In Tuusula, there is a separate task in the app for each of the two plant species.  

For example, the process of re-controlling plants has been simplified: once 50 per cent of the reward budget has been used, the play area is restricted to cover only those sites that have already been controlled once. At this stage, new targets can no longer be marked on the map. Re-control ensures that invasive species are eradicated from the areas as thoroughly as possible. 

The visual presentation of the guidance has been improved, and clear illustrated cards will be introduced. In addition, each task includes a short test quiz to ensure that the user understands species identification and the basic principles of pest control. The test quiz can be taken as soon as the local task is published in the app. 

A total of €4,000 in prizes 

This summer, a total of €4,000 in rewards is up for grabs for participants in Tuusula. Players can earn up to €20 an hour. The amount of the reward is determined automatically based on the area, density and type of the infestation. In addition, bonus areas can be found on the local game map, and clearing these yields a higher reward. 

The game runs until the end of August or until the prize fund runs out, and you can track the progress of the competition via the app. 

Here’s how to prepare for the task: 

1. Download the free Crowdsorsa mobile app. 

2. Create a username (without any special characters). 

3. Like the Tuusula invasive species challenge on the app. 

4. Please read the instructions and complete the test questionnaire before taking part in the control operation. 

Further information:
Tuusula Municipality: Green Space Specialist Laura Turpeinen, laura.turpeinen@tuusula.fi,
040 314 4333
Crowdsorsa: Managing Director Toni Paju, toni.paju@crowdsorsa.com, 040 661 0072 

This content has been translated using AI