Pyhä-Häkki National Park
Encyclopedia
Pyhä-Häkki National Park (Pyhä-Häkin kansallispuisto) is a national park
in Central Finland
. It was established in 1956 (extended in 1982 when Kotaneva was joined to it) and covers 13 square kilometres (5 sq mi). Its foundation was planned already in the late 1930s, but the Second World War
interrupted these plans.
The national park protects old Scots pine
and Norway spruce
copses, which started growing when Finland was still under Swedish rule, and swamp
s, which comprise half of the national park. The national park is the largest remaining area of virgin forest
in the southern half of Finland
. In addition to the pine and the spruce, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Populus tremula
, and Alnus glutinosa (the latter along some creeks) are the taller tree
species
encountered in the national park.
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 Central Finland
Central Finland
Central Finland is a region in Finland. It borders to the regions Päijänne Tavastia, Pirkanmaa, Southern Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia, Northern Ostrobothnia, Northern Savonia and Southern Savonia....
. It was established in 1956 (extended in 1982 when Kotaneva was joined to it) and covers 13 square kilometres (5 sq mi). Its foundation was planned already in the late 1930s, but the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
interrupted these plans.
The national park protects old Scots pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
and Norway spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
copses, which started growing when Finland was still under Swedish rule, and swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s, which comprise half of the national park. The national park is the largest remaining area of virgin forest
Virgin Forest
Virgin Forest is a self-described B-movie starring Sarsi Emmanuel, who plays a barrio lass of Chinese ancestry; the late Miguel Rodriguez, as a Filipino-Spanish illustrado; and, Abel Jurado, who plays the lover of Sarsi's character.-Synopsis:...
in the southern half 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...
. In addition to the pine and the spruce, Betula pendula, Betula pubescens, Populus tremula
Populus tremula
Populus tremula, commonly called aspen, common aspen, Eurasian aspen, European aspen, trembling poplar, or quaking aspen, is a species of poplar native to cool temperate regions of Europe and Asia, from the British Isles east to Kamchatka, north to inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia and...
, and Alnus glutinosa (the latter along some creeks) are the taller tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
encountered in the national park.