baumzaehlen - Primeval Forests & Their Trees

Salamajärvi National Park, Finland – Koirajoki Primeval Forest

Most of the national park (62 km²) is bog and previously managed forest but Koirajoki Primeval Forest (4.6 km²), protected as early as 1912, is untouched by modern forestry; this is one of the oldest forests in Central Finland¹.

The Primeval Forest has much open pine forest, bog and boggy forest. Spruce forests are less extensive. Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) is the dominant tree. Picea abies (Norway spruce), Betula pendula (silver birch) and B. pubescens (downy birch) are abundant, too. Altogether there are about 10 tree species. You may have difficulties distinguishing between the Betula spp. but the other trees are very easy to identify. Due to the past forest fires, fire-resistant P. sylvestris also dominates on many moister sites, which are now being invaded by shade-tolerant² P. abies. Wood volumes are relatively low. The tallest trees (P. abies) are slightly over 30 m. The primeval forest is located at approx. 170 m elevation; differences in elevation are small. Average annual temperature is 2.1°C and annual precipitation approx. 570 mm ³.

Koirajoki Primeval Forest is the northeastern “extension” of the park. A hiking route called “Hirvaan kierros” runs a part of its course through the forest. Off-trail, the forest is partly easy to hike but there are also stone fields covered by moss. Bogs, of course, also slow hiking. Camping is not allowed in the primeval forest; elsewhere in the national park camping is allowed at designated sites and outside the park everywhere with "everyman's rights". It is easiest to begin from the Perho–Kinnula road, along which parking is possible. The southernmost tip of the national park is adjacent to Salamanperä Strict Nature Reserve.

References:

1       Karvinen, T. (2017): Kansallispuistot: maamme luonnon helmet. Docendo.

2       Nikolov, N & Helmisaari, H. (1992): Silvics of the circumpolar boreal forest tree species. In Shugart, H. H. et al. (ed.): A Systems Analysis of the Global Boreal Forest, 13–84. Cambridge.

3       https://en.climate-data.org/

Official site:

http://www.nationalparks.fi/salamajarvinp