Mire Reserves Preserve Unique Finnish Nature

Finland is a land of mires. About a third of Finland (ca. 100,000 sq.km) was originally covered by them. Over a half of our mires, bogs and peatlands have been drained during the last two centuries. They have been cleared into fields and peat has been taken from these areas. For the most part mires have been drained so that the land can be used for forestry.

Mire reserves are established for the conservation of mire nature. They are an important part of the government’s mire conservation programme, which aims at preserving the richness of our mire nature. There are almost 170 mire reserves in out country, covering about 4,700 sq.km.

Most protected mires are mire complexes such as aapa bogs or raised bogs and the country’s best bird mires are in these protected areas.

Walking or skiing in mire reserves is usually permitted as an Everyman’s Right. In some reserves there are areas in which hiking, berry and mushroom picking, hunting and fishing are restricted to ensure that birds can nest in peace.

Usually trails and duckboards have only been built in those mire reserves which are easy to reach and are close to habitation. Trails and birdwatching towers help visitors get a better view of the mire birds.

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