Koli National Park
Encyclopedia
Koli National Park is a national park
in the municipalities of Joensuu
, Lieksa
and Kontiolahti
in the North Karelia
region of Finland
. It covers 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi) in the forested hills on the western shore of lake Pielinen
, and was established in 1991. Contrary to the other national parks in Finland, Koli National Park was originally governed by the Finnish Forest Research Institute
Metla. It is now governed by the Metsähallitus
like the other national parks.
Koli has lots to offer cultural heritage-wise. Formerly, it was a sacrificial site. Later it was used for slash-and-burn agriculture. The aim of Koli National Park isn't to reserve wild nature but traditional agricultural heritage is cherished in Koli. Some fields are slashed, burnt and re-cultivated and hay is cut yearly. Traditional Finnish breeds of cows and sheep are grazing in the meadows of Koli.
Attention is paid to a national landscape and geology in a zone which covers the highest tops of Koli. The culture zone is located quite near a village. In the culture zone the multiformity of the tradition landscapes is maintained by burn-beating, by grazing and by managing open fields by among others mowing. The yard circles with their old buildings on the open field and on the pasturage graze the pearls of the burn-beaten area culture in the middle of the open man-made landscape lined by the koivikko, the kyyttö and sheep are. Especially the multiform flora of open fields needs annual maintenance mowing in order to be preserved. To the nature zone the forest nature of dangers is protected. The nature of Koli is well varying from the point of view of the terrain and thanks to it there is a large number of different biotopes even in a small area and thus the species a very multiform one. The laws of rocks are fairly rugged, the shady slopes in the covering of the old spruces or birches and from the field slopes of valleys shadily moist groves grow rank.
. Near the top there's the Heritage Center Ukko and Hotel Koli. In the summer, two long scenery lifts are working in Koli.
There are also many caves in Koli area, e.g. the cave named Pirunkirkko. It is 34 metres (111.5 ft) long and 1–7 m (3.3–23 ft) high.
Koli has inspired many painters and composers, e.g. Jean Sibelius
, Juhani Aho
and Eero Järnefelt
. Eero Järnefelt painted together with A.W. Finch and Ilmari Aalto a large scenery about Koli in 1911. It can be seen in the restaurant of Helsinki
railway station. Painters found Koli in the 19th century and after that Koli has been called one of the national sceneries of Finland.
Nowadays there are two ski resorts in Koli area: Loma-Koli for families and Ukko-Koli for more advanced downhill skiing. There are three ski lifts and six ski slopes in Ukko-Koli. The highest vertical drop is 230 metres (754.6 ft) and ski slopes are 800–1500 m (2,624.7–4,921.3 ft) long. There are four ski lifts and six ski slopes in Loma-Koli. The highest vertical drop is 145 metres (475.7 ft) and ski slopes are 530–1050 m (1,738.8–3,444.9 ft) long. Two of the slopes are streets for snowboarding. There are also snow castles for children.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in the municipalities of Joensuu
Joensuu
Joensuu is a city and municipality in North Karelia in eastern Finland. It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of North Karelia region. It was founded in 1848...
, Lieksa
Lieksa
Lieksa is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
and Kontiolahti
Kontiolahti
Kontiolahti is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
in the North Karelia
North Karelia
North Karelia is a region in eastern Finland. It borders to the regions of Kainuu, Northern Savonia, Southern Savonia, South Karelia and to Russia.The city of Joensuu is the centre of the North Karelia region.- Municipalities :...
region of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. It covers 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi) in the forested hills on the western shore of lake Pielinen
Pielinen
Pielinen is the fourth largest lake of Finland, with a drainage basin area of that is equally distributed between eastern Finland and Russia. The creation of the lake and its outlet is attributed to a post-glacial isostatic rebound, which resulted in uplift of the land...
, and was established in 1991. Contrary to the other national parks in Finland, Koli National Park was originally governed by the Finnish Forest Research Institute
Finnish Forest Research Institute
The Finnish Forest Research Institute , known as Metla, is a subordinate agency to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of the Government of Finland. It has statutory duties to promote, through research, the economical, ecological, and socially sustainable management and use of forests...
Metla. It is now governed by the Metsähallitus
Metsähallitus
Metsähallitus , Forststyrelsen , "Administration of Forests," is a state-owned enterprise in Finland. The tasks of Metsähallitus are to manage most of the protected areas of Finland and to supply wood to the country's forest industry. Metsähallitus employs approximately 3,000 people...
like the other national parks.
Koli has lots to offer cultural heritage-wise. Formerly, it was a sacrificial site. Later it was used for slash-and-burn agriculture. The aim of Koli National Park isn't to reserve wild nature but traditional agricultural heritage is cherished in Koli. Some fields are slashed, burnt and re-cultivated and hay is cut yearly. Traditional Finnish breeds of cows and sheep are grazing in the meadows of Koli.
Nature
The national park of Koli has been divided into three different zones according to central protection objectives.Attention is paid to a national landscape and geology in a zone which covers the highest tops of Koli. The culture zone is located quite near a village. In the culture zone the multiformity of the tradition landscapes is maintained by burn-beating, by grazing and by managing open fields by among others mowing. The yard circles with their old buildings on the open field and on the pasturage graze the pearls of the burn-beaten area culture in the middle of the open man-made landscape lined by the koivikko, the kyyttö and sheep are. Especially the multiform flora of open fields needs annual maintenance mowing in order to be preserved. To the nature zone the forest nature of dangers is protected. The nature of Koli is well varying from the point of view of the terrain and thanks to it there is a large number of different biotopes even in a small area and thus the species a very multiform one. The laws of rocks are fairly rugged, the shady slopes in the covering of the old spruces or birches and from the field slopes of valleys shadily moist groves grow rank.
Attractions
The most well-known vantage point in the park is Ukko-Koli, with a grand view to the East, over the lake PielinenPielinen
Pielinen is the fourth largest lake of Finland, with a drainage basin area of that is equally distributed between eastern Finland and Russia. The creation of the lake and its outlet is attributed to a post-glacial isostatic rebound, which resulted in uplift of the land...
. Near the top there's the Heritage Center Ukko and Hotel Koli. In the summer, two long scenery lifts are working in Koli.
There are also many caves in Koli area, e.g. the cave named Pirunkirkko. It is 34 metres (111.5 ft) long and 1–7 m (3.3–23 ft) high.
Koli has inspired many painters and composers, e.g. Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius
Jean Sibelius was a Finnish composer of the later Romantic period whose music played an important role in the formation of the Finnish national identity. His mastery of the orchestra has been described as "prodigious."...
, Juhani Aho
Juhani Aho
Juhani Aho, originally Johannes Brofeldt, was a Finnish author and journalist.Aho's literary output is wide-ranging since he pursued different styles as time passed....
and Eero Järnefelt
Eero Järnefelt
Eero Erik Nikolai Järnefelt was a Finnish realist painter.Eero Järnefelt was born in Viipuri, Finland. His father August Aleksander Järnefelt was an officer in the Russian army and his mother was Elisabeth Järnefelt . He studied at the St...
. Eero Järnefelt painted together with A.W. Finch and Ilmari Aalto a large scenery about Koli in 1911. It can be seen in the restaurant of Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
railway station. Painters found Koli in the 19th century and after that Koli has been called one of the national sceneries of Finland.
Nowadays there are two ski resorts in Koli area: Loma-Koli for families and Ukko-Koli for more advanced downhill skiing. There are three ski lifts and six ski slopes in Ukko-Koli. The highest vertical drop is 230 metres (754.6 ft) and ski slopes are 800–1500 m (2,624.7–4,921.3 ft) long. There are four ski lifts and six ski slopes in Loma-Koli. The highest vertical drop is 145 metres (475.7 ft) and ski slopes are 530–1050 m (1,738.8–3,444.9 ft) long. Two of the slopes are streets for snowboarding. There are also snow castles for children.
External links
- Outdoors.fi – Koli National Park
- Koli National Park webpage
- Video about travelling in Koli area - by students from Koli area
- Video about downhill skiing in Koli - by students from Koli area