Koli National Park Is Where an Area Many Threatened Plants Are Growing
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THE FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE VEGETATION SETTLEMENT AND CULTURAL HISTORY THE FINNISH FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE METLA METLA The forests in the area consist mainly of Norway spruce Settlements based on slash-and-burn agriculture appeared in is a research institute which was established in 1917 sites. Verdant under the ofthe of and KOLI growing on fresh and grove-like upland groves the Pielinen area at the end of the 15th century. However, the auspices Ministry Agriculture Forestry. can also be found along the streams running into Lake Koli hill region was for long nothing but uninhabited METLA researches forest oriented problems, with particular NATIONAL PARK fertile sites suitable studies the state of health of the forest and Pielinen and at the foot of steep cliffs. Less backwoods, and was regarded as a frightening place emphasis on on and sites) the the (dry dryish upland for sacrificial rites. Settlements were finally established on forest biodiversity, multiple use of forests, and are located on the and underutilisation of timber tops the edges of the hills in the 18th century. Slash-and-burn reserves. western of the hills. the slopes agriculture and forest grazing continued right up until METLA comprises the Helsinki and Vantaa research The birch stands, clearings beginning of this century. centres, plus eight other research stations around Finland. In and natural meadows, relicts turn of national romanticism to At the ofthe century the rise order ensure the continuity oflong-term research METLA, from the time of slash-and in resulted a strong Karelian movement, and the Koli landscape manages about 140,000 ha of research forest, of which burn agriculture, bring 60,000 ha nature conservation provided many famous writers, artists and composers with are areas. considerable to the variety inspiration for their work. At the same time Koli also became nature in the area. a well known tourist attraction. The Koli National Park is where an area many threatened plants are growing. most The important of them are to be found in groves and fertile fens. FAUNA RESEARCH AT KOLI The fauna in the park is Due to its high nature conservation, geological and landscape typical of northern Karelia. value, the Koli area offers abundant scope for research in to The bird species be found different scientific fields. in the greatest numbers are animals Basic studies on forests, vegetation and are chaffinch, willow warbler, goldcrest and spotted flycatcher. providing data on the area's ecology. This goes into a natural Wood grouse, greenish warbler, wren and the three-toed resource database which also assists research into the woodpecker, which is a threatened species, all thrive in old management and use of other protected areas. Studies on forest. Water birds are represented by divers and many threatenedanimals and plants provide abasis formanagement species of duck and gull. plans forpreserving these species. Therehave been numerous Mammals regularly sighted in the park are elk, fox, pine geological studies on the bedrock forming the hill chain. marten, lynx and hare. Bears also occasionally move through At Koli, forestry planning methods have been developed the area. The endangered flying squirrel inhabits old mixed in which the e.g. landscape and various forms of forest use where have woods with aspens woodpeckers bored nest can be taken into account more fully. Biotopes created by holes. slash-and-burn agriculture and heritage landscapes are being The most important, extremely threatened invertebrate maintained by burning and cultivation, and by cutting the which is species in the Koli area are Bulgarica cana, only vegetation on forest meadows - the ones at Koli are included has known in Finland from Koli, and Solva interrupta which in the Project Silva study. Tutkimusmetsäpalvelut 1995 only been found in one other place in Finland. THE KOLI NATIONAL PARK MAP SYMBOLS HIKING AND GUIDANCE Koli National Park is located in northern Karelia on the The best way to explore the park is by hiking. There are Pielinen. is western shore of Lake The park's purpose to several marked hiking trailsto choose from, all starting at the protect the national landscape of Koli and old growth forests Ylä-Koli information board, next to the Koli Hotel. A map of communities on the foot hills, as well as to maintain plant the trails can be purchased from offices of the Finnish Forest created by slash-and-burn agriculture. The scenery around Research Institute, the Koli Hotel and Kolinportti. There are Koli is considered to be of the most beautiful in in winter there ski some several camp fire places the area. In are Finland. trails in the park varying in length from three to eight Including the water areas, the park covers 1137 hectares, kilometres and supplemented by connecting ski trails from which is to be extended to around 2500 hectares to include Koli to Kopravaara and Loma-Koli. areas in the hill chain of value from the nature and landscape The national park's information centre is in the lobby of protection perspective. the Koli Hotel. The Kolinportti nature conservation information point lies at the Koli junction at Ahmovaara, along the Joensuu-Kajaani road (no. 18). This covers not only Koli National Park, butalso other protected, and outdoor recreation, areas of north Karelia. GEOLOGY AND LANDSCAPE PUBLIC TRANSPORT the There is coach Koli's hills are the remnants of the ancient Karelidic Road connections are shown on map. a RULES FOR PARK USERS service to Koli from Joensuu and Kajaani. In summer there mountain chain formed almost 2000 million years ago as boat connections from Joensuu, Nurmes and continental plates collided, causing thick sandstone strata to are Lieksa, become metamorphosed and folded. The hard quartzites Permitted Vuonislahti. The ferry to Lieksa is a car ferry. • movement ski and boat on Lake Pielinen have withstood Ice Age erosion and frost shattering better by foot, • of forest berries and wild mushrooms than their surroundings to survive today as the Koli hills. the picking MAPS the in the and also in South Ukko-Koli, highest point chain, • Finland, rises to 347 m a.s.l. and 253 m above Lake Pielinen. Restricted Finnish Road Map GT 9, 1:200,000 9,000 • motor vehicles and be used on • Tourist of Northern Karelia, 1:200,000 The glaciers retreated fromthe area about years ago. bicycles may only map • Many of the features characteristic of the Koli area were the roads Outdoor Map Lieksa Koli Ruunaa, 1:30,000 formed the last ice the eskers that • is at the • during age, e.g. developed fire-lighting permitted only points Basic maps N:o 4313 08-12, 1:20,000 • as the glaciers retreated. The most impressive of these eskers indicated Koli hiking trails, 1:20,000 is the string of eskers dominating the landscape of Lake Pielinen. Forbidden • The marks left by the ice age can also be seen in the highest discarding litter, damaging the soil or vegetation, or out other parts of the Koli Hills in the form of smooth rock faces with disturbing the animals carrying any nature buildings INFORMATION channels and grooves in the surface activity likely to affect or damage FURTHER The hilltops consist of rocky ridges in the area running parallel to the direction • camping The Finnish Forest Research Institute METLA of movementof the glaciers, with > • The Koli National Park, ph. +358-f9)73-672205 bluffs on the northeastern sid Detailed are available from the Finnish • Joensuu Research Station, steep park regulations ph. +358-(9)73-1514000 • intersected by gorge-like valleys. Forest Research Institute METLA. Research forest services, Vantaa, ph. +358-(9)0-857051 .