Professional

Phytoplankton workshop for professionals 3.-4.6.2025
– To identify or not to identify? –
Euglenoids

For the third time already, a workshop on phytoplankton identification will be held on Kemiö Island, Finland. This year we will concentrate on euglenoids, but other plankton algae are also discussed.
Lectures will be Professor Bożena Zakryś and Dr Maja Łukomska-Kowalczyk.
The workshop is organized by Company Zwerver.
Along with Satu Zwerver also
Päivi Hakanen and Enikő Török-Krasznai
will take care of the practical arrangements .


Our workshop aims to fulfill both the need of microscoping and discussing phytoplankton identification problems together and the theoretical background on identifying and microscoping as well as taxonomy and ecology. Participants are welcome to bring their own samples and photos, also on any other phytoplankton group they wish to discuss during the workshop. There will be microscopes and literature on site, with the possibility to take photos with a microscope and display a microscope image on the wall.

During the workshop a new kind of visual based plankton algae identification key will also be presented.

The program will consist of theory and practical work, topped off with valuable discussions between participants. All this will be compiled into a PDF file to be delivered to participants afterwards, with photographs and drawings of the species and taxa discussed, to aid future identification.

You find the preliminary program here.

Group size: 10-15
Place: Bjärkas gård, Västanfjärdintie 655, 25840 Nivelax, Kemiönsaari.
Bjärkas gård is a traditional island farm dating back to the 1600s. The current generation has moved on from shipping and farming to accommodation, catering and golf courses. The participants will stay in the building pictured below. There are 5 apartments with all together 15 beds. Two apartments with two separate bedrooms, each with 2 beds and two apartments with 2 bedrooms with 2 beds + one bedroom with 3 beds.

Bjärkas gård
Bjärkas gård conference

Target group: Professional phytoplankton analysts.
Dates: Tuesday-Wednesday 3.-4.6. 2025. Arrive on Monday 2nd.
Time: 9 – 18 both days.
Price: 585 € + eventual VAT 25,5% / person.
Including: 2 nights (Mon-Tue + Tue-Wed) accommodation in a double room, snacks on arrival evening, 2x breakfast, 2x lunch, 1x dinner, course facilities, teaching, teaching material, identification app, use of sauna, coffee breaks.
Language: English.
Other: Bring your own samples and/or photographs.
If there are more than 15 registrations those with more years of experience will be given priority.

Registration: Please find the registration form here.
Deadline 24 April 2025.
Invoice for participation will be sent in week 18, paying time 14 days. In case of cancellation, a full refund will be given if cancellation is made at least 4 weeks before the workshop (6.5.2025). Cancellation between 4 and 2 weeks before the workshop will give a refund of 50%, a later cancellation none at all.

If you want to stay at Bjärkas gård for more nights, please contact them and make reservation there.

– Information will be updated –

More information? Just ask: info@zwerver.fi

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Phytoplankton workshop for professionals 2 days – 2024
– To identify or not to identify? –
18th and 19th of June

For the second time, a workshop on phytoplankton identification will be held on Kemiö Island, Finland. This year there is a special group of algae we concentrate on – cryptomonads.


Our workshop aims to fulfill both the need of microscoping and discussing phytoplankton identification problems together as well as the theoretical background on identifying and microscoping, the emphasis being on practical identification. Although the theme of the year is cryptomonads the participants are welcome to take their own samples and photo’s on any other phytoplankton group they wish to discuss during the workshop.

Our Hungarian colleagues will present their new cryptomonads identification key (under construction), tell us about the origin of these fascinating creatures and about the phytoplankton work carried out at Pandorina Ltd.


Meet the lecturers and organizers here.

The programme will consist of theory and practical work, topped off with valuable discussions between participants. All this will be compiled into a PDF file to be delivered to participants afterwards, with photographs and drawings of the species and taxa discussed, to aid future identification. The workshop will focus on identification, ecology will not be so central to this workshop.

Click here for a preliminary programme

Group size: 8-12
Place: Storfinnhova gård, Finnhovantie 163, 25860 Björkboda, Kemiönsaari.
Target group: professional phytoplankton analysts
Dates: Tue-Wed 18.-19.6. 2024
Time: 9 – 18
Price: 200 € + 24% VAT, includes the program, supplies, facilities, coffee, dinner and sauna on Tuesday and a post-workshop summary of the species discussed in the workshop. Lunch is self-catered.
Language: English
Other: Bring your own samples and/or photographs. You can also send photos of the Cryptomonads to the organisers (beres.viktoria@gmail.com) in advance. Include the name of the species (if known), dimensions, sampling location and time. Maximum 15 photos per participant. This will allow us to prepare a presentation specifically of interest to participants.


Registration: no later than 24 May 2024. info@zwerver.fi
Invoice for participation will be sent in week 22. In case of cancellation, a full refund will be given if cancellation is made at least 2 weeks before the workshop (4.6.2024). After that, 50% will be refunded.

The venue: Storfinnhova gård

Accommodation, lunch and dinner: please arrange accommodation and meals directly with Storfinnhova gård. Telephone:  +358400539238 or e-mail: info@storfinnhova.com
Possibility to book an extra night before and after the workshop.

3-night package – 309 €/person (Mon-Tue-Wed or Tue-Thu)

  • Breakfast self-service or buffet breakfast
  • Lunch on two days (Tue + Wed)
  • Dinner on two days (Mon + Wed)
  • Overnight stay in double rooms in the farm’s villas

2-night package – 210 €/person (Mon-Tues-Thurs)

  • Lunch on two days (Tue + Wed)
  • Breakfast self-service or buffet breakfast on both days
  • Dinner one evening (Mon)
  • Overnight stay in double rooms in the farm’s villas

One-night package – 109 €/person

  • Breakfast served or buffet breakfast
  • Lunch on two days (Tue + Wed)
  • Overnight in double rooms in the farm’s villas

    – Accommodation prices include VAT. –

Transport to Storfinnhova

You can reach the venue with a bus from Helsinki or Turku.
From the bus stop there is a 1,5 km walk to Storfinnhova. Transport can be arranged.

Take a look at the bus time tables here:
Helsinki main bus station – Björkboda (1-2 transfers) 175 km
Helsinki airport – Björkboda (2 transfers) 187 km
Turku bus station – Björkboda 80 km

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