River guardians exchange with Snowchange researchers about their findings. The knowledge and observations of river guardians play a valuable role in the scientific efforts of monitoring restoration outcomes as well as the planning of restoration sites. Examples of such collaboration include the detection of endangered species, their populations and movements, water quality and flow measurements as well as drone footage of restoration sites. Interviews with Elders can reveal little-known pasts which can be used as ecological baseline information regarding restoration. Those river guardians who are willing to develop their monitoring efforts towards a certain direction, are supported by researchers to find new ideas and practices. 

In 2025, one of the river guardians initiated and leads a study focusing on the experiences, thoughts, feelings and ideas of the guardians themselves with regards their role as river guardians. 

By taking active part in various village events and meetings, Snowchange has tried to openly communicate about the restoration plans and to be open about the funding and its spending locally. River guardians have found that it is crucial that an organization shares what they have concretely done in the area and gives possibilities for people to get involved. 

River Guardian Meetings are held twice a year, in addition to informal meetings with individual guardians. Issues are also communicated via a mailing list as well as in a WhatsApp group.

River guardians can also be found to act as “mediators” in their communities. When information of the restoration project is transferred to villages through them, it is more likely trusted, and people might be more eager to join events. 

The River Guardian Program has also enabled the communities themselves to communicate their knowledge through different methods, such as a community theatre play. 

Snowchange has worked in the Koitajoki Catchment since 2017. The Koitajoki Restoration Project started in 2022 and the River Guardian Program kicked off in 2023. In early 2025, one of the river guardians mentioned that only after three years, people in the area have gotten aware of the restoration project and started seeing it as a truly good thing. Gaining acceptance is a slow process. In addition, long-term continuity in a river guardian’s own observations builds motivation as one can see the multitude of their own observations and already draw some conclusions based on them.

There is no “one size fits all” for being a river guardian. Some guardians especially enjoy joining the practical restoration actions, such as blocking the ditches of a drained peatland, or creating spawning sites for migrating fish, while others prefer to solely focus on their monitoring efforts. Offering several ways to participate helps keep many people with different interests and strengths involved. The guardians can also present suggestions of what they would like to have organized as part of the program, such as workshops. 

The River Guardian Program is based on the interests and motivations of the guardians themselves. The guardians choose the ways and methods they wish to participate in the program. They also choose whether they prefer to work solo, with family members or as a larger group of villagers. 

This is a different approach from more conventional citizen science or volunteer monitoring where scientists set the methods, protocols, and objectives of the monitoring efforts which are then followed by volunteers. A bottom-up community-based approach ensures that community-defined issues are addressed and allows a reciprocal dialogue between community members and the restoration project. River guardians are involved in planning their monitoring work as well as in interpreting the results. 

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) is applied throughout the process, including when river guardians work with other community members, for example when conducting interviews. 

Scientific tourism constitutes the primary activity of the initiative. Over several days, visitors from various regions of the country and the world engage in scientific research  focused on data collection for whale shark conservation. A variety of activities are designed to encourage dialogue, reflection, and learning about the experiences of the day,  aiming to raise awareness and inspire attendees to share knowledge within their communities.

The integration of value-added services with solar-powered cold storages strengthens the overall service model, enhances farmer incomes and improves their ability to pay the user fee. Two value-added services were introduced in this pilot: solar-powered sorting and grading operations and the app "Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant" (YVCCA).

Sorting and grading operations, which are conventionally performed at packhouses, have been brought to the farmgate and solarised to avoid diesel consumption. This setup enables farmers to access reliable information about the quality of their produce during price negotiations with buyers.

Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (YVCCA) is a mobile and web-based application that supports improved cold storage use, farmer decision-making and planning for scaling. It integrates three core functions. First, it enables farm produce management and predicts the quality and shelf life of apples based on a quality assessment at harvest and data on temperature and humidity in the cold storage units. Second, it identifies underserved areas without access to cold storages but high potential for implementation, by analyzing production data, satellite imagery and socio-economic indicators. This supports planning and targeted expansion of infrastructure. Third, it offers data-informed market linkage advice by combining data on weather, market volume and location, fresh-produce yields, real-time market prices and shelf-life estimates to recommend optimal sale timing and locations. Together, these functions improve both farmer income and the operational efficiency of cold storage services.

Your Virtual Cold Chain Assistant (YVCCA) is an app that supports improved cold storage use, farmer decision-making, and planning for scaling. It integrates three functions. First, it enables farm produce management and predicts the quality and shelf life of apples based on a quality assessment at harvest and real-time data on temperature and humidity in the cold storage units. Second, it identifies underserved areas without access to cold storages but with large potential for adoption, by analysing production data, satellite imagery, and socio-economic indicators through. This supports planning and targeted expansion of infrastructure. Third, it offers data-informed market linkage advice by combining data on weather, market volume and
location, satellite images, fresh-produce yields, hygrothermal cold-storage sensors,
forecasted remaining shelf life of produce, and real-time market prices. Together, these functions improve both farmer income and the operational efficiency of cold storage services.

The Cooling as a Service (CaaS) model enables smallholder farmers and cooperatives to access solar-powered cold storage infrastructure without the burden of high initial investments and ownership. A technology provider (CoolCrop) installs, operates and maintains the cold storage units at or near the farmgate, and farmers or cooperatives pay a service fee to use the facility. This fee can be based on the quantity of produce stored, such as by weight or crate, or defined as a flat rate and is based on the total costs of installing, operating, maintaining, and financing the equipment. The viability of the intervention depends on selecting an appropriate pricing strategy and the financial structure of the initial investment. Service providers earn revenue through storage and transportation fees, as well as through value-added services such as sorting and grading, and potentially through net metering of surplus solar energy. Farmers and cooperatives benefit from the reduction of post-harvest losses, preservation of quality and shelf life and the possibility to delay sales beyond market gluts, leading to improved income.

Randilen Wildlife Management Area (WMA) generates tourism income that directly supports community development, fostering sustainable growth and improving local livelihoods. Revenue from tourism activities, such as park entry fees, guided tours, and eco-lodges, is reinvested in key sectors like education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Additionally, these funds empower local communities by creating jobs, enhancing conservation efforts, and supporting small businesses. The income also contributes to cultural preservation and environmental sustainability, ensuring long-term economic stability while promoting responsible tourism practices that benefit both people and wildlife.