Learn about the activities carried out as part of the project

As the POOL project draws to an end, the team looks back on four years of scientific and artistic exploration around the fascinating world of temporary wetlands.

From monitoring invertebrate communities to studying greenhouse gas emissions or the influence of water colour on amphibians, the project brought together experts from a wide range of ecological disciplines.

In parallel, the artist team immersed themselves in these ephemeral ponds, each offering a unique perspective through their preferred medium — photography, painting, animation, music or video — revealing complementary ways of seeing and sensing these fragile ecosystems.

Scientists and artists then joined forces to design creative outreach activities for diverse audiences. Exhibitions, workshops, and playful art-science sessions allowed hundreds of people across Finland, France, and Sweden to discover the hidden life of seasonal wetlands and to connect emotionally with their beauty and importance.

You can learn more about the wide range of activities carried out throughout the POOL project — from field research to creative collaborations — by visiting our website page: https://sites.utu.fi/pool/the-project/

The final exhibition of the POOL project is now on view at the Turku Botanical Garden until 23 November 2025. It brings together the artistic creations developed over the four years of the project, alongside scientific insights from the temporary wetlands of the Evo forest area. Two special events will accompany the exhibition: a children’s workshop on 1 November and a closing conference/workshop on 22 November, celebrating the end of the POOL adventure.