Land of Islands and Waters - Finland The Island Committee
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The Island Committee Finland Land of Islands and Waters
ARTO HÄMÄLÄINEN/KUVALIITERI • FRONT COVER PHOTO: AARNI NUMMILA/KUVALIITERI “ There can be no more beloved shore than this, our Northern homeland.” Johan Ludvig Runeberg
LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 3
Dear Reader
Finland has more bodies of water than any other country in the
world, and more islands than most European nations. We boast 76,000
islands with an area of 0.5 ha or more, 56,000 lakes over 1 ha, 647 riv-
ers and 314,000 km of coastline. Every Finnish municipality has waters,
and most contain islands. Every island, lake and river has its place in
the hearts of Finns. This brochure describes these unique riches.
Its multitude of islands and waters makes the Finnish landscape
fragmented, creating extra costs for the economy, the State and local
councils, but it is also an incomparable resource. Our islands, seas,
JOUNI KLINGA
lakes, rivers and shores are excellent regional assets in a world that
thrives increasingly on producing unique experiences.
Holiday homes (belonging to around 2 million people), boating
(700,000 boats), fishing (1.8 million recreational fishers), nature pur-
suits and tourism ensure that the development of our islands and
waters touches upon the entire nation. Finland is one of Europe’s top
boating and recreational fishing sites.
Many public authorities operate in the islands and waterways,
including the Defence Forces, the Border Guard, the Police Force,
regional rescue departments, the Maritime Administration (commuter
traffic, piloting, shipping lanes, ports, charting, winter navigation
assistance), the Road Administration (ferries and roads), the environ-
MIKKO HAKANEN/KUVALIITERI
mental authorities, the Game and Fisheries Research Institute, other
fisheries authorities and the National Board of Antiquities.
Finland’s islands policy compensates for some of the drawbacks of the
fragmented land area, and maximises the benefits of islands and waters
as a regional development asset. The Island Development Act is an im-
portant tool in these efforts. Consideration for biodiversity as well as cul-
tural and landscape factors forms an essential part of the islands policy.
The Government aims to develop island and water tourism into a
European attraction, and to turn our holiday home customs into a foun-
dation for rural development. We have excellent conditions for this.
Finland offers citizens and foreign visitors a safe environment in which
to experience the warmth of summer, the russet colours of autumn,
the snow and ice of winter and the brightness of spring, on its numer-
ous islands and in its vast marine and freshwater areas.
ERKKI MAKKONEN/KUVALIITERI
Happy reading!
The Island Committee
Ministry of Employment and the Economy
4 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
Which European country is
the richest in islands and lakes?
Let’s start by looking at islands. Greece has ap- inhabited islands. Although many islands are The Sulkava Rowing
proximately 1,400 islands and Denmark around 500. linked to the mainland by bridges, Finland still Race is the biggest row-
ing event in the world.
Although well-known for their islands, these states has 430 islands with year-round habitation, with The route around the is-
are dwarfed by the three Nordic “continental” states no permanent road connections. Greece has just land of Partalansaari ex-
of Norway, Sweden and Finland. Finland has 76,000 over 200 such islands and Denmark around 100. tends over 60 km and in
recent years there have
islands measuring at least half a hectare in size, and More than 200,000 Finns live on islands with been some 10,000 par-
a total of 178,947 with an area of 100 m2 or over. bridge connections, including nearly 50,000 in ticipants. The church
Although smaller in size, Finland surpasses Sweden the capital, Helsinki. boat race for teams is
particularly popular, but
in its number of large islands and lakes. Norway also Nearly 100,000 or more than half of Finland’s there are always plenty
has a wealth of islands, but their steep cliffs make islands are located in freshwater, ranking Fin- of entries for the singles
many of them unsuitable for tourism and recreation. land close to the top in the quantity of inland and doubles races too.
The world’s most island-rich country is Canada. islands. They include more than 150 islands with
Finland also clearly outstrips certain well- year-round habitation but with no bridge connec-
known island states in terms of its number of tions.
LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 5
Finnish islands by region
0,5 ha– 1— Over Total
1 km2 10 km2 10 km2
1. Southwest Finland 9,687 145 21 9,853
2. South Savo 8,918 101 5 9,024
3. Lapland 8,594 60 3 8,657
4. Åland Islands 8,014 77 14 8,105
5. North Savo 5,229 46 1 5,276
6. North Karelia 4,386 42 5 4,433
7. Ostrobothnia 4,187 51 11 4,010
8. Central Finland 3,971 37 2 4,010
9. Uusimaa 3,665 23 3 3,692
10. Pirkanmaa 2,897 9 2,906
11. Northern Ostrobothnia 2,570 12 1 2,583
12.
13.
Satakunta
South Karelia
2,493
2,151
12
29
1
4
2,506
2,184
3.
14. Kainuu 1,933 14 1 1,948
15. Eastern Uusimaa 1,783 20 3 1,805
16. Kymenlaakso 1,618 16 1,634
17. Päijät-Häme 1,318 14 1 1,333
18. Central Ostrobothnia 623 3 626
19. Häme 512 1 513
20. South Ostrobothnia 480 1 481
11. 14.
Total 75,029 713 76 75,818
18.
7.
Finland is also the country with the most bodies 5.
of water in the world. Its freshwater areas cover 20. 6.
2
33,000 km , accounting for one tenth of Finland’s 8.
surface area. The country’s area also encompasses
2
82,000 km of sea and 647 rivers. The length of 2.
the Finnish shoreline is 314,000 km – equivalent 12. 10.
17. 13.
SEPPO PELKONEN/KUVALIITERI
to a distance of an amazing eight times around the
1. 19.
Earth. The coastline of most other European coun- 16.
tries is only a fraction of this. 9.
4. 15.
Timber-floating is still
important in the Vuok-
si waterways. Raw wood
is also transported on
barges, whose use may
increase significantly if
bioenergy transports be-
gin at local power plants.
An extension of the
JUHA METSO/KUVALIITERI
Saimaa Canal lease pe-
riod could also lead to
new growth in freight
transport on Eastern
Finland’s waters.
6 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
59 metres of shore
per inhabitant
■ Finland’s shoreline is fragmented and comprises
many islands. Its lakes are full of capes, bays and is-
lands; its rivers are winding. All of this means that the
shoreline is much longer than you might expect.
The type and shape of the coastline are important
factors for both human and natural life. No detailed
classifications have been made of Finland’s entire
shoreline, but the seashore has been inventoried. Most
HANNU HUTTU/KUVALIITERI
of the shore (approx. 43%) consists of moraine, which
is most common on the shores and islands of the Gulf
of Bothnia. A similar proportion (42%) is composed of
rocky shores, which are found particularly in the Archi-
pelago Sea and the Gulf of Finland. Loam, clay and
soft-soil shores account for 10%, and gravel and sand
Many islands close to the coast are connected to the mainland by a for 5%. Only just over 1% (approx. 550 km) consists of
causeway or bridge. Island of Alanne in Lake Kiantajärvi, Suomussalmi. man-made shore; this includes diverse embankments,
harbours, bridges and dams.
Largest maritime islands in Finland
Order Name Municipality Area (km2)
1. Mainland Åland 7 municipalities 685
2. Kimito Kimitoön, Salo 524
3. Hailuoto Hailuoto 195
4. Replot Korsholm 160
5. Aasla/Otava Naantali 105
6. Lemland Lemland 92
7. Eckerö Eckerö 91
8. Öja Kokkola, Luoto 90
9. Storlandet Väståboland 72
10. Ålön Väståboland 70
11. Kyrklandet Väståboland 64
12. Kivimaa Kustavi 57
13. Pyhämaa Uusikaupunki 53
14. Vessölandet Porvoo 52
15. Kirjalaön Väståboland 49
16. Oxkungar-Tengmo-Kvimo Vörå-Maxmo, Oravais 46
17. Lillandet Väståboland 38
18. Stortervolandet Väståboland 37
19. Luoto Luoto 37
20. Kaurissalo Kustavi 36
Largest freshwater islands in Finland
2
Order Name Municipality Area (km )
1. Soisalo Heinävesi, Kuopio, 1,638
Leppävirta, Varkaus
2. Kerimäensaari Enonkoski, Kerimäki, Savonlinna 1,069
3. Hurissalo Mikkeli, Puumala 174
4. Partalansaari Puumala, Sulkava 170
5. Viljakansaari Puumala 115
6. Manamansalo Vaala 76
7. Äitsaari Ruokolahti 74
8. Moinniemensaari Savonlinna 53
9. Oravisalo Rääkkylä 49
10. Kirkkosaari Taipalsaari 47
11. Väisälänsaari Hirvensalmi, Mikkeli 35
12. Virmaila Padasjoki 35
13. Kuivainen Savitaipale 33
14. Pyylinsaari Heinävesi 28
15. Varpasalo Rääkkylä 27
16. Paalasmaa Juuka 27
17. Salosaari Ruokolahti 26
18. Judinsalo Luhanka 25
JARI KOSTET
19. Lintusalo Puumala 25
20. Kyläniemi Taipalsaari 23
LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 7
In terms of recreational value, flat, firm shores with Composition of shoreline
an inclination of less than 10 degrees are considered
the most valuable. Ideally, such shores should also km %
have unrestricted access, scant aquatic vegetation
Total seashore 46,198 15
and medium-depth water. These top-quality shores
– mainland coast 6,299
account for just a few per cent of the entire shoreline.
– islands 39,675
Variations in water level also affect usability. Un- – lakes on islands 96
der one tenth of Finland’s shoreline is such that the – inland islands on islands 128
tidal level change is less than one metre, measured
over a long period of time – all of this is on lakeshores. Total lakeshore 214,896 68
Around one half of the total shoreline has tidal chang- – mainland shore 171,506
es exceeding two metres, including the entire marine – islands 39,443
coast. Level changes of more than five metres particu- – lakes on islands 2,242 Hailuoto is the third-
larly appear on the Ounasjoki and Tornionjoki (Torne) – inland islands on islands 1,705 largest sea island in
rivers, and in some regulated lakes. Finland. Its population
However, most of Finland’s shores are highly appro- Total riverbanks 53,510 17 is on the increase: in
priate for recreational use and construction, compared – mainland shore 51,142 1980 it was 897 but
for instance to the steep cliffs of Norway and Greece. – islands 2,368 by 2007 it was 987.
In France, Britain and Ireland, the tide may change by The island also hosts
more than five metres in a single day. Also, tidal flats Total shoreline 314,604 100 700 summer resi-
may be several kilometres in width in those areas. dents.
8 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
Sparkling blue gold
”“Finland is called the Land of a Thousand Lakes,
but that figure is not even close to the truth.”
Zacharias Topelius was right in his Book of Our
Land (Maammekirja) in 1875. More than a cen-
tury would pass before the exact number was cal-
culated, and it was 187,888. The smallest ponds
included in the count were only 500 m2 in size,
MARKKU TANO/KUVALIITERI
however; lakes and ponds exceeding one hectare
in size numbered 56,012.
Topelius was not always right; in 1838 a Lapp
man had told him a story according to which Lake
Inari would not let anyone measure its depth. On
the basis of this, Topelius wrote a poem that flatly Most of Finland’s large lakes were formed dur- Lake Pielinen con-
states: “It is as deep as it is long.” A native Inari- ing the Ice Age and shaped by the land uplift. Päi- tains 1,259 islands. Visi-
ble from the Koli quartz-
dweller might well have said “Nuuvt kukke lii ko jänne and some other major lakes were born from ite peak, they have been
čieŋâl-uv.” cracks in the bedrock formed hundreds of millions immortalised in millions
An echo depth sounding of Inari was completed of years ago. Lappajärvi and Paasivesi have a heav- of photographs. The
view is bewitching at any
in 1961–62. The maximum depth found was 95 enly origin, having been caused by meteorites. time of year.
metres. A verifying measurement two decades In its number of ponds, Finland is fairly even
later took off another three metres, meaning that with Sweden, both having more than 100,000
Inari comes second to Lake Päijänne in depth. lakelets of less than one hectare. The rest of
the EU can only wonder at its northern neigh-
European champions in bours’ wealth of waters. More than half of Fin-
large and small lakes land’s ponds are in the municipalities of Inari and
The European Union contains 93 lakes with an Utsjoki. Since the central and eastern parts of the
2
area exceeding 100 km . Forty-seven of these are country are known as the Lake District, this might
in Finland, meaning we have more than all the be termed the Pond District.
other EU states put together. There are few statis- Water quality is good or excellent in over 80
tics in which one country is so dominant. per cent of Finland’s lakes, although many shal-
low lakes are eutrophic and require attention.
Almost 1,000 rehabilitation projects have been
completed in recent decades. The most common
methods are removal of aquatic plants, improve-
ment of food chains, and oxygenation. Another
factor in improving water quality has been signif-
icant investments in the removal of nutrients from
urban and industrial wastewaters.
The Water Framework Directive of the EU came
HEIKKI KETOLA/KUVALIITERI
into effect in 2000, with the aim of achieving a
high ecological status for surface waters by 2015.
Collaboration is closer between authorities and
local residents in Finland than in most other coun-
LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 9
tries. Due to their love of local lakes and the scar- Lappeenranta to Joensuu and Varkaus, with a few
city of public funding, lakeshore residents have centimetres’ difference in Savonlinna. However,
been inspired to start up lake protection groups according to the ice, temperature and flow condi-
and to work together in maintaining their lakes. tions, the many pools of Saimaa could also be con-
sidered separate lakes.
Diversity of forms In 1933, poet-geographer Aaro Hellaakoski pro-
Finland’s lakes differ in character from almost posed the names Satanen or Satajärvi (derived
all of their European counterparts. It is difficult from the word sata, meaning “one hundred”) for
to determine where one lake ends and the next the lake, but these never caught on. Like Saimaa,
one begins. The most interesting is Great Saimaa, many other pools in the Lake District form chains
which can be viewed as either one or up to a hun- extending over hundreds of kilometres. These
dred lakes. It is one lake in the sense that the are broken up by short rivers or narrow passages
water level is almost constant all the way from where the water level can drop by several metres.
Many of our inland
cities were originally
built on a lakeshore.
The water’s power at-
tracted several large in-
dustrial plants to the
Tammerkoski rapids in
the 19th century. Most
heavy industry has now
left the area, and the old
factory buildings have
been put to cultural use.
TIMO NIEMINEN/KUVALIITERI
10 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
Canals and locks are often built at these points for Largest lakes in Finland
boats. The rivers Vuoksi, Kymijoki and Kokemäen-
Lake Region Area (km2) Max. depth (m)
joki contain a total of almost 40 locks and 30 open
canals. Suur-Saimaa South Karelia, 4,380 86
South Savo,
The most extensive network of boating routes is North Karelia
in the Vuoksi waters, reaching as far north as Nur- Päijänne Central Finland, 1,100 95
mes and Iisalmi. This includes nearly 600 km of 4.2- Päijät-Häme
Inari Lapland 1,060 92
metre deep-water channels, some 1,000 km of 2.4- Pielinen North Karelia 960 60
metre channels and several hundred kilometres Iso-Kalla North Savo 900 90
of 1.8-metre and 2.1-metre channels. It discharges Oulujärvi Kainuu 890 35
Keitele Central Finland 500 65
into the sea at Vyborg, making this, the EU’s larg- Lokka Lapland 417 12
est lake network, important to Eastern Finland’s Längelmävesi Pirkanmaa 410 73
economy. New connections have also been planned Puulavesi South Savo 325 60
Kitkajärvet Lapland, 305 34
between the Kymijoki and the sea, and between Northern Ostrobothnia
the waterways of Kymijoki and Vuoksi. Juojärvi North Savo 297 67
Casting an eye over a map of Finland, one sees Höytiäinen North Karelia 293 54
Kemijärvi Lapland 288 40
the blue colour of the Lake District forming an Pielavesi-Nilakka North Savo 278 27
extensive labyrinth, in which individual lakes are Näsijärvi Pirkanmaa 265 63
difficult to discern. Further north, the eye is drawn
to the two large lakes of Inari and Oulujärvi, and
then to Western Europe’s largest artificial lakes, The Finnish Environment Institute’s lake data-
Lokka and Porttipahta. The region of Kuusamo base now has depth data for more than 6,000 lakes.
also has plenty of blue-tinged areas, and southern As more data is charted, it is included on maps.
Lapland is split by a belt of medium-sized lakes. Approximately 30,000 hectares can be charted in
The most obvious waters in the west are Pyhäjärvi one year; at that rate, all lakes over the size of 50
and Lappajärvi, and the eye-catcher in the south is ha will have depth maps within a decade.
Lohjanjärvi. Many of the smaller bodies of water Lakes have constant flows that are very impor-
along the coast contain no lakes, however. tant to their ecosystems. Today’s technology can
If lakes were chosen to represent Finland’s determine a lake’s flow field in great detail from
provinces, size might not be the main criterion; the surface to the bottom; this is another sector in
for instance in Uusimaa, Lake Tuusula could come which Finnish researchers are at the forefront.
into contention due to its cultural significance as
Up to 50 cm of water
the home of many artists and writers. can evaporate from Fin-
land’s lakes during the
Research summer. This has been
ascertained using trian-
High-level research on lakes is conducted in Fin- gular rafts, in use for in-
land. The freezing and thawing of Kallavesi and stance on Lake Tuusula.
Näsijärvi have been recorded since the 1830s,
longer than anywhere else in the world. The water
level in Lake Saimaa has been recorded daily since
1847. On some lakes, surface water temperatures
and ice thickness have been monitored for nearly
a century.
Depth charts were being published on many
lakes with boating lanes as early as the 19th
century. For a long time, progress was slow and
sounding points were difficult to pinpoint accu-
rately on a map. A major revolution took place in
HANNU VALLAS/KUVALIITERI
the mid-1980s with the advent of tachymeters for
positioning. Further progress was on the way: the
ESKO KUUSISTO
first GPS applications appeared in the early 1990s.
Today, all depth data is produced digitally.SUOMI – SAARTEN JA VETTEN MAA 11
Also a land of rivers
Although known for its lakes, Finland also has est tributaries surpass many of the main rivers;
plenty of rivers. They have always been impor- Ounasjoki, for example, covers the same area as
tant travel and transport routes, and the first the three largest rivers in Ostrobothnia (Kyrön-
chains of villages appeared on their banks. The joki, Siikajoki and Kalajoki) put together.
best fields were on riversides, and mills were pow- Finland’s major riverine area is Lapland, which
ered by rapids. They were used for fishing and has many of the country’s largest streams. The
for driving timber to sawmills. Historically, rivers catchment area of the Kemijoki covers more
have provided employment for many Finns. than half of Lapland, with a total of 10,000 km of Beginning in Lake Päi-
jänne, the Kymijoki river
If a river is defined as a stream with an aver- river. It has the largest floods in all of Finland. Its discharges the waters of
3
age flow of 1.0 m /s or a catchment area of 100 power stations provide nearly 40% of the hydro- more than 12,000 lakes
2
km , then Finland has around 650. Of these, 90 power generated in Finland, and, besides being into the sea. Down-
stream, there are cultural
are major rivers that run into the sea or across a prolific salmon-fishing river, it used to be the heritage sites punctuated
national borders; the rest are tributaries. The larg- main artery for log-floating. by fields.12 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
Largest rivers in Finland, by region
Region River Area (km2) Average flow (m3/s)
Lapland Kemijoki 50,910 538
Tornionjoki 39,820 378
Paatsjoki 14,570 146
Tenojoki 13,780 165
Northern Ostrobothnia Oulujoki 22,920 254
Iijoki 14,320 173
KEIJO PENTTINEN/KUVALIITERI
Siikajoki 4,440 40
Kainuu Kiehimäjoki 8,700 102
Central Ostrobothnia Perhonjoki 2,690 20
South Ostrobothnia Kyrönjoki 4,900 45
Lapuanjoki 4,110 32
North Karelia Pielisjoki 21,770 240
Lieksanjoki 8,260 94
A rubber dinghy in the Kuusankoski rapids in South Karelia Vuoksi 61,560 554
Central Finland. Whitewater adventures are offered by Satakunta, Pirkanmaa Kokemäenjoki 27,100 216
dozens of tourism businesses around the country. Southwest Finland Paimionjoki 1,090 9
Uusimaa Karjaanjoki 2,010 18
Fluvial power Eastern Uusimaa Porvoonjoki 1,260 13
Kymenlaakso Kymijoki 37,230 304
“Let not the waters flow in vain.” This was a clause
contained in the laws of Sweden-Finland in 1649.
By then, rivers had been in use for diverse pur- must closely examine research by climate scien- In some provinces, the
poses for a long time. tists, particularly in relation to changes in annual largest river is by no
means the most famous
VEIKKO VASAMA/KUVALIITERI
The first mill rights had been granted to Bishop flow rhythms. Predicted increases in winter flow one. The river Vantaa
Hemming at the Halistenkoski rapids in the river rates would be beneficial for power generation, is famous as the Hel-
Aurajoki in 1352. Water-driven sawmills had been but might increase the problems caused by frazil sinki region’s main ar-
tery, while Aurajoki is
in use since the late 16th century, and the first ice, for example. the heart and symbol of
ironworks with a tilt hammer were built in Mus- Turku.
tio, on the Karjaanjoki river, in 1616. Salmon: more excitement than nutrition
In the mid-nineteenth century, Finland had Salmon was one of the major causes for early set-
around 4,000 water mills and nearly 200 water- tlements along rivers, particularly those running
driven sawmills. The father of Finland’s paper indus- into the Bay of Bothnia. The economic significance
try, Fredrik Idestam, opened the first pulp factory in of this pink-fleshed migrant was understood early
Alakoski, Tampere, in 1865. Tampere also saw the by the Crown, which declared salmon-fishing the Verla mill village was
appointed a UNESCO
lighting of Finland’s first light bulb in 1882. exclusive right of the State. In practice this meant
World Heritage site in
When the first turbines of the Imatra water- levying a tax on anyone fishing salmon. 1996. The first pulp fac-
power plant were switched on in 1929, people After the Second World War, conflicts arose tory was built in the area
in 1872. Beautifully re-
were sceptical: “Can Finland ever need such an between Finland’s electric power industry and
stored, the old buildings
amount of electricity?” Its power output was 56 the centuries-old privileges enjoyed by Finland’s now house a museum.
MW, while today’s electricity consumption peaks
at nearly 15,000 MW. Imatra remains Finland’s
largest hydropower plant, with a maximum out-
put of approx. 180 MW.
Although Finland’s rapids now only produce
around one sixth of the country’s electricity, hydro-
power is highly valued due to its swift adjustabil-
ity. The corporate tax paid by power plants is an
important source of income for some regions, par-
ticularly in northern Finland.
There has been much debate recently over
whether to build more hydropower capacity. In
MATTI YLÄTUPA/KUVALIITERI
techno-economical terms, there is potential to
extend it by 900 MW, of which one half could
be built by 2020. Some people disagree with the
proposal, however. Any foray into such a projectLAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 13
Kitkajoki in Kuusamo river fishers. They particularly centred around the Today’s salmon fishing is a varying combination
is known for its wilder- Oulujoki and Kemijoki rivers. In 1951, a new water of sea, coastal and river fishing. The Tornionjoki
ness areas and numer-
ous rapids. The river is law decreed that fish passes no longer had to be river supplies 20-40 tonnes of salmon annually,
challenging for canoeists built when a waterway was dammed; instead, while on the Teno, the average catch is 130 tonnes.
and also popular for rec- the dam builder must cover the cost of a certain Fishing tourism is a major source of income for
reational fishing.
amount of fish farming. entrepreneurs along these rivers. Tourism oper-
Salmon leaping in ators in the Tornionjoki and Simojoki areas are
Näätämöjoki river. Fin- worried about their future, as are professional
land’s only natural and fishers in the Gulf of Bothnia, who consider their
original salmon popula-
tions exist here and in ancient profession to be in peril. This is an inter-
the rivers Teno, Tornion- national issue; salmon-related decisions are made
joki and Simojoki. in all Baltic Sea nations, as well as in Brussels.
Projects are underway in many Finnish rivers
to restore migrant fish populations: these include
the Kymijoki, Vantaa and Aurajoki rivers, as well
as the three greats of the north: the Oulujoki, Kem-
ijoki and Iijoki. Since 1993, salmon have accessed
the downstream Kemijoki along the Isohaara fish
pass, while the Oulujoki sea rapids’ pass was com-
pleted in 2003. Many more passes and a lot of hard
work is still needed before most salmon spawning
grounds have been restored.
PERTTI TURUNEN/KUVALIITERI
Salmon play a central part in the attraction
of river waters to tourists. The value of recrea-
tional fishing lies not just in the value of the catch.
“Salmon is more about excitement than nutrition,”
says “fish professor”, Hannu Lehtonen.14 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
SEPPO KERÄNEN
Islands and waters matter to Finns
A lake or river can be found near most Finnish Many of Finland’s most popular tourist attrac- There are 400 visitors’
villages and built-up areas. Around 80 municipal- tions are islands. Every year, 1.6 million tourists marinas in our sea are-
as and more than 700 in
ities are located by the sea. Holiday homes, boat- visit Åland, 700,000 visit Suomenlinna, 500,000 freshwater areas. The re-
ing, canoeing, cruises, recreational fishing, bird- Korkeasaari zoo, nearly 300,000 the “Moomin spective numbers of fish-
watching and other nature pursuits, diving, cross- Islands” of Naantali, and 60,000 Manamansalo ing ports are 24 and 15,
and cargo ports serving
country skiing on ice, tour skating and traditional in Lake Oulujärvi. Built in the 15th century on a freight traffic total 23 and
skating, kicksledding and snowmobiling are activ- tiny islet off Savonlinna, Olavinlinna Castle draws five. Excluding the winter
ities that have made many Finns familiar with the 200,000 visitors a year, one third of them during months, the Saimaa Ca-
nal connects the water-
archipelagos. the annual Opera Festival. Even the Bengtskär ways of eastern Finland
Almost all Finns visit an island at least once a Lighthouse, with its remote outer sea location, to the sea.
year, although they may not always realise it: few attracts 15,000 visitors.
visitors to Savonlinna, Kotka or Pargas, for exam- Excluding permanent island residents, the
ple, are aware that the main parts of these towns Finns with the deepest relationship with islands
are built on islands. are those who have a holiday home on one. InLAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 15
late 2007, there were around 478,000 recreational Enjoying a first summer
residences in Finland, of which 85% were on the in the archipelago.
coast. People spend an average of 80-100 days at
their holiday home each year, and the number
is growing. In many island municipalities, the
number of summer residents exceeds that of per-
manent residents: Kustavi tops the chart with
a ratio of four to one; when you include people
other than the owners of holiday homes, the fig-
ure can be ten to one.
Around EUR 4 billion is spent on recreational
homes in Finland each year. In fact, this has
become one of the main development factors in
rural Finland. Summer residents help maintain
shops and other services in small municipalities,
and their wide-ranging competencies and con-
tacts can be even more important assets. There-
JYRKI HEIMONEN
fore, efforts are being made to include holiday-
makers in municipal and village functions. Devel-
oping such participatory mechanisms is an impor-
tant challenge. energy consumption is being reduced with new
More and more people are converting holiday technology, including frost-resistant water pipes,
homes into second homes without changing their heat pumps and insulation. Coastal construction
place of residence. Recreational properties are does have an impact on local natural conditions,
increasingly spacious and well-equipped. Develop- including the waters, coastal ecology and land-
ments in ICT have allowed for an increase in tele- scapes. Recreational residences currently take
commuting, and people are keen to convert holi- up one tenth of the total Finnish coastline, but
day homes into permanent dwellings. this ratio is considerably higher in the most pop-
The environmental impact of recreational resi- ular areas.
dences has been studied in recent years, and has On the other hand, spending time at a holiday Millions of passen-
been found to be reasonable. Travel to and from home provides a great environmental education gers feast their eyes on
holiday homes amounts to 7% of all car traffic in for many Finns, with positive effects on attitudes the islands of Uusimaa,
Southwest Finland and
Finland. Summer houses account for less than toward environmental protection and a simple, Åland while travelling on
1% of phosphorus and nitrogen discharges into natural lifestyle. From the viewpoint of sustain- the ferries between Fin-
waters, and this is further decreased by new leg- able social development, these recreational resi- land and Sweden, which
usually call in at Åland.
islation concerning wastewater from households dences constitute a key form of urban-rural inter- The island province of
in sparsely populated areas. Year-round heating action, promoting the maintenance of a vital and Åland receives 1.6 million
is increasingly common in holiday homes and its diverse countryside. tourists every year. JARI KOSTET16 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS Traditional and new industries side by side Winter seine net fishing of vendace in Lake Kostonjärvi, Taivalkoski. In recent dec- ades, technological advances have made winter fishing less strenuous and considera- bly more efficient, but the number of seine cooperatives has declined.
LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 17
Island life continues to be bustling and diverse
in Finland. Statistics show that the economic
structure of islands clearly diverges from the
national average.
While the service industry does already employ
almost half of our island population, this is below
the national average. The development of tourism
and recreational services is a critical issue for the
future of our islands. There are excellent develop-
ment opportunities. Islands, lakes and rivers can
THE COAST GUARD IN THE GULF OF FINLAND
be turned into tourist attractions. Entrepreneur-
ial training, intensified marketing efforts and net-
working all play a key role. It would be particu-
larly important to extend the tourism season: the
islands have a lot to offer at any time of the year.
Government activities have a major impact
on employment and well-being in the archipel-
agos. The Defence administration, the Maritime
Administration, the Border Guard and the Road been on the decrease, particularly in the Border Search and rescue
Administration employ many people in the island Guard and Defence Forces, which is highly taxing exercise by the Coast
Guard in the Gulf of Fin-
municipalities. The most significant research sec- on certain insular municipalities.
land. Other authorities
tor employer is the Finnish Game and Fisheries The marine cluster employs island residents and NGOs also contrib-
Research Institute. In recent years, state jobs have on ferry traffic, in the Maritime Administration, in ute to maritime safety.
Hot baths and cold plunges at the SaimaaHoliday nature tourism centre in Rantasalmi. Plenty of high-quality
accommodation, catering and activity services have sprung up on our islands and coasts. In fact, developing is-
land and lake tourism into a European attraction is one of the objectives of the Finnish government.
SAMI VASKOLA/POINTLEVEL
HEIKKI KETOLA/KUVALIITERI18 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
Finland has top-level
expertise in boatbuilding.
The sector has many
enterprises, and exports
account for more than
two thirds of revenue.
Seppo Suurnäkki is build-
ing a wooden fishing boat
in Hamina.
international shipping, at boat harbours, in boat-
building and maintenance, and on docks.
Agriculture and forestry account for some 15%
of the jobs in island and part-island municipalities,
while the corresponding national rate is less than
5%. Islands enjoy the benefit of a strong image of
purity and reliability, which can be utilised in mar-
keting local specialities. The growth season is also
longer in the southwestern archipelago than in
the rest of the country. On the other hand, it is dif-
ficult to create the relatively large units favoured
by modern farming, as fields are small and frag-
MUNICIPALITY OF VAALA
mented. Specialised farming is therefore a prime
asset. Farming has decreased on the smaller and
outer islands, although new forms, including
sheep farming, have emerged on a smaller scale.
Kassu Halonen Taidetalo, a centre for courses, popular music concerts
and fine art, was opened in a former school on the island of Manamansalo in There are only around 1,000 full-time fishers
Lake Oulujärvi in summer 2000. left in Finland; two thirds of them fish at sea. InLAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 19
LOHIMAA
Lohimaa in Äyskoski, Tervo, is the biggest fishing
destination in Finland. In all, there are almost 100 busi-
nesses specialised in fishing tourism, and thousands
offer fishing as an ancillary service.
addition, there are some 2,000 part-time profes-
MARJA VEHKALA/KUVALIITERI
sional fishers. In 2007, their catch totalled around
130 million kilograms. In the sea, the main attrac-
tion is Baltic herring, whereas in fresh waters
MARTTI LINTUNEN/KUVALIITERI
it is vendace. The number of professional fish-
ers has halved in two decades, and their average
age is high. What remains, however, is the most October’s Baltic Herring Fair is Helsinki’s oldest traditional event, bringing
fishers and entrepreneurs from the islands to central Helsinki. It dates back to
efficient and most professional part of the indus- a royal edict by King Frederick I of Sweden in 1743: “Let the miserable town of
try, which has a major employment impact in the Helsinki be enlivened by a new fair at Michaelmas.”
fields of trade, food processing and equipment
production. Challenges for fish farming include
cheap imported salmon and emissions from fish-
eries. There are still around 600 jobs in the sector
in Finland, most of them in island areas.
Recreational fishing is an essential part of
island culture. In 2006, Finland had 1.8 million
recreational fishers, and the value of their annual
FINNISH ROAD ENTERPRISE, FERRY SHIPPING
catch amounted to EUR 56 million. Services
related to fishing increase the economic signifi-
cance of this pastime four to sixfold. Fishing is an
essential part of Finnishness, and it is promoted
by our country’s richness in waters and our exten-
sive fishing rights.
There is little industrial employment in the
deepest archipelago, but many municipalities State jobs and services are important for islanders. Today public roads have more
than 40 ferry crossings. The ferries carry around ten million people and five million ve-
with good sea ports do host some of the country’s hicles annually. There are also 19 commuter ferries operated by the Finnish Maritime
major industrial plants. Administration and 21 cable ferries on private roads, most of them in Lake Pihlajavesi.20 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
Growing demand
for genuine island
and lake culture
Rising tourism is increasing demand for a gen-
uine island culture. The culture of our islands
and waters consists of history, tradition, nature
and the environment. Culture is all the things
that islanders do and appreciate; it encompasses
architecture, food, clothes, language, thoughts,
beliefs... Fortunately, it is impossible to precisely
define island culture.
It is no coincidence that the Savonlinna Opera
Festival, perhaps the best-known Finnish cultural
event, takes place on an island. Other insular
attractions include Moominworld and the Seuras-
aari Open-Air Museum, which displays Finland’s
architectural heritage. The historic Suomenlinna
fortress island is one of the country’s major tour-
ist sites. islands: ancient fortresses include Suomenlinna The popular and in-
Our islands boast many buildings and struc- in Helsinki, Bomarsund in Åland, Gustafsvärn in fluential 19th-centu-
ry authors Johan Lud-
tures that cannot be found elsewhere in Finland. Hanko and the Kotka fortresses. vig Runeberg and Zach-
These include lighthouses, pilot posts, historical The first impressions visitors have of an island arias Topelius inspired a
navigation marks and also our underwater her- usually relate to the village community spread special love for the coun-
try among Finns, partic-
itage. Military history is strongly present on sea around a harbour. One’s eye may be caught by a ularly through the stun-
ning waterways. Golden-
age painters who delight-
ed in watery themes in-
cluded Albert Edelfelt, Ak-
seli Gallen-Kallela and
Eero Järnefelt. Many art-
ists also retreated to live
at the lake or seaside,
and our great compos-
er Jean Sibelius drew in-
spiration from the Finnish
waterscape.
Loggers’ games have
remained popular, espe-
cially in the eastern and
northern parts of the
country. The tradition be-
gan on the river Lieksan-
joki in the 1930s. Typi-
ANTERO AALTONEN
cal events include pol-
ing, rolling, the logger’s
oath and riding rapids on
a log.LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 21
lighthouse on a rock, an old windmill or the har-
monious beauty of rows of red wooden houses.
The lifestyle and sparse living of the islands have
helped to preserve old settlements more com-
monly than elsewhere. In freshwater areas the vil-
lages are often located toward the island’s interior,
so the visitor may not have such a strong sense of
human habitation and activity as by the seaside.
Even the smallest of island municipalities
often have a museum of local history and culture,
showing old objects and buildings. The Maritime
MUNICIPALITY OF KORSHOLM
Museum of Finland, which transferred from Hel-
sinki to Kotka in 2008, is responsible for archiv-
ing our maritime heritage. It is located in the
Maritime Centre Vellamo, which is also home
to the Museum of Kymenlaakso. Other maritime
and seafaring museums can be found in Marie-
ALBERT EDELFELT/FINNISH NATIONAL GALLERY
hamn, Turku, Rauma, Kristinestad and Raahe. ums, loggers’ games, old canals, fishing ports and Postal traffic across
The Museum of Finnish Recreational Fishing is fish markets, as well as marinas and old steam- the Quark – the thresh-
old between Finland
located in Asikkala, and Kerimäki has a Lake Fish- boats. By the seaside, the number of volunteers and Sweden – began
ing Museum. participating in the painstaking task of building in 1617 and continued
Our sea and freshwater areas boast plenty of and restoring traditional sailing ships is a telltale for almost two centu-
ries. Today, this tradition
prehistoric remains: stone labyrinths, rock paint- sign of love for the old archipelago culture. is honoured by an annu-
ings, ancient settlements and harbours. Island cul- The living culture of our islands and waters is al rowing event for old-
ture features extensively in literature, fine arts, upheld by permanent and holiday residents, boat- style boats. The starting
point alternates annually
drama, music, song and film. The waters have a ers, professional and recreational fishers, tourists between Replot, Finland,
strong presence in the Finnish national epic, the and many others. Despite the strong tradition, it and Holmö, Sweden.
Kalevala, and composer Jean Sibelius was also is also important to build a new culture on the
inspired by them. basis of the old heritage; this has been achieved
The cultural heritage of our freshwater areas in many of the fine cultural events organised on
and islands is kept alive by timber floating muse- the Finnish islands in the summer.
Korppoo Jazz repre-
sents modern island
culture that is largely a
result of the expertise of
recreational residents.
KORPPOO JAZZPETRI ASIKAINEN/GORILLA
Sixty years of island policy
The Islands Policy is the oldest systematic The part-island municipalities are Asikkala, An estimated half a
regional policy in Finland. In March 1949, the Helsinki, Hirvensalmi, Ingå, Joutsa, Juuka, million Finns have jobs
suited to teleworking. It
Council of State set up a committee to investi- Jyväskylä, Kaarina, Kesälahti, Kivijärvi, Kor- is particularly beneficial
gate living conditions on the islands and to make sholm, Kotka, Kuhmoinen, Kuopio, Lieksa, Liperi, for island and rural mu-
development proposals. The main reason for Luhanka, Luoto, Masku, Mikkeli, Naantali, Närpiö, nicipalities to invest in
improving their facilities
this related to problems in the fishing industry. Oravais, Parikkala, Pernå, Porvoo, Pyhtää, Rase- for telecommuting from
Although growth was still healthy in other rural borg, Ruokolahti, Ruotsinpyhtää, Rääkkylä, Salo, summer homes.
areas, the population of island areas had taken a Savonlinna, Sipoo, Taipalsaari, Taivassalo, Tervo,
downturn. Uusikaupunki, Vaala and Vörå-Maxmo.
The Island Committee was established in its Five of the island municipalities are on the sea-
current form by government decree in 1961. In shore and three are inland, while the part-island
1981 it proposed new legislation to promote the municipalities are distributed evenly. Before the
development of the islands. In the Island Devel- current wave of municipal mergers, there were 13
opment Act, the concept of “island” covers sea island municipalities, but the number fell due to
and freshwater islands without permanent road amalgamations, particularly in southwestern Fin-
access, as well as other islands and mainland land. The part-island municipalities contain 13 cit-
Seminars on islands
regions with otherwise insular conditions. The Act ies, Helsinki being the largest.
and waters have been
obliges the State and municipalities to safeguard The old Island Committee’s final report in 1957 held around the country
the development of islands by providing support emphasised the significance of a geographically since 1990. This annual
event takes place in an
in diverse political areas, especially in developing widespread policy on coastal and water areas.
island or part-island mu-
sources of livelihood, maintaining state employ- This has remained the approach in the govern- nicipality. In 2005, it was
ment, funding basic services and building trans- ment’s islands projects and decisions-in-principle hosted by Uusikaupunki.
port and other infrastructure. The islands’ nature in the 1990s and beyond.
and environment must also be protected. The Island Committee is a permanent statu-
In early 2009, Finland had eight island munic- tory advisory body that operates in connection
ipalities and 40 part-island municipalities. The with the Department for Regional Development
related decree expires at the end of 2011. of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
Our island municipalities are Enonkoski, The Committee participates in the development of
Hailuoto, Kimitoön, Kustavi, Väståboland, Malax,
FOTOMIKA
island areas jointly with municipalities, regions,
Puumala and Sulkava. State authorities and other parties.LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 23
Successes and regrets the Border Guard, and the coastal artillery and
The islands policy has produced results. Ferries, some Navy units by the Defence Forces, mainly
rafts, hydrocopters, private roads, public roads due to technological advances. Ferries have been
and bridges have been put in place for island traf- replaced by bridges, reducing the number of Road
fic. Some businesses have received higher subsi- Administration jobs. Since the 1980s, the Tax
dies from the state and the EU than their main- Administration, the Employment Administration,
land counterparts. The provision of municipal the Police Force and regional State offices have
social services is facilitated by island supplements cut their staff in island municipalities. Meanwhile,
in the municipalities’ state grants. Post Office operations have been privatised.
Electrification spread swiftly in the archipel-
agos in the 1950s and 60s, and phone lines were International context
laid around the same time with support from Finland’s accession to the European Union in 1995 Island and part-
the State. Finland’s government is committed to had an impact on the country’s island policy. Fish- island munici-
palities.
bringing today’s fast data communications out ing and agriculture, which are crucial in the archi-
to the islands. Many archipelagos have national pelagos, and to an extent also regional politics,
parks and conservation areas, which form treas- are now led from Brussels. In regional policies,
ure-troves of the ecosystem and are essential for the number of islands is not a criterion for the
tourism. Landowners receive appropriate com- EU’s structural fund agenda. In practice, however,
pensation for this. island-based regions have often been granted a
Nationwide island development projects have better status than their socioeconomic figures
focused on promoting tourism, fishing, small-scale might have entitled them to. A fairly good level of
processing and telecommuting. Island municipali- EU funding has been provided, which is important
ties aim to enhance their image as tourist destina- for the islands. This is in line with the European
tions and permanent residence areas, sometimes Charter of Fundamental Social Rights, which rec-
with shared marketing campaigns. The number ognises the fact that insular regions have special
of recreational residences has been increased characteristics that must be addressed.
with research and development projects aiming From 2010, the Finnish government will make
for more flexible town planning and exceptional regular decisions-in-principle on island policy,
permit policies, building and repairing holiday replacing the earlier islands programme. This is
homes, and utilising summer residents’ purchas- now the main national vehicle for island policy-
ing power and competence. making.
The number of State jobs in the archipelagos The island policy is also linked to the EU’s pol-
remained high and even grew between the 1950s icies on the use and maintenance of coastal and
and 70s; since then, it has fallen, proving a challenge maritime areas. The Island Committee maintains
to the fulfilment of the Island Development Act. contact with other European island regions, for
Pilot stations have been closed down by the instance through the Conference of Peripheral
Maritime Administration, coastguard stations by Maritime Regions.24 SUOMI – SAARTEN JA VETTEN MAA
Finland: born of an island
When Finland rose from the sea after the last islands. The mainland gradually began to emerge Ristisaari, Pyhtää. Ice
Ice Age, it started as an island. No one knows pre- at today’s eastern border. Finland was no longer and waves prevent veg-
etation from spread-
cisely where that embryo of Finland was located. wholly insular. ing onto the expanse of
It might have been the top of Tiirismaa, the high- Some 10,200 years ago, the level of the Baltic smooth rock.
est point of today’s southern Finland (222 m). glacial lake suddenly dropped by almost thirty
Some 12,000 years have since elapsed. metres and the Yoldia Sea was created. Many of
In addition to water, the first island may have the islands grew, the largest one being in today’s
been fringed by the edge of the continental glacier southern Häme. A few centuries later, glimpses of
receding northwest. A millennium after the first Åland could be caught amid the waves. The last
glimpse, Finland already consisted of hundreds of remnants of the continental glacier melted awayLAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 25
from what is now Finland around 9,000 years
ago. The Baltic was a lake, with its largest island
stretching from Jämsä to Suomenselkä – its area
was four times that of Zealand, which is now the
largest island in the Baltic Sea.
Around 7,500 years ago, the Baltic became a
sea again. Compared with today, the coast was
further inland by 50–100 km at the Bay of Bothnia,
30–60 km at the Sea of Bothnia and 20–40 km at
the Gulf of Finland. There were not many islands
at that time, but tens of thousands of them were
waiting to rise from the depths. With the contin-
uing land uplift, they began to emerge over an
extensive area. While the movement of the coast-
SEPPO LAAKSO
line merged former islands with the mainland,
the largest of Finland’s archipelagos – the Archi-
pelago Sea – was gradually formed in the south-
west. Today it has almost 40,000 islands, which is In 1873, the author
more than in South Pacific Polynesia. These days Zacharias Topelius
the number of Finnish sea islands over 100 m2 in wrote that “every century
the Baltic Sea donates
area totals 80,897, with their coastline stretching to its daughter, Finland,
over 39,803 km. enough land for a new
Some of our freshwater islands are older than principality.” Accord-
ing to current estimates,
their home waters: they were already islands around 300 hectares of
before the lake separated from the sea. Over the new land emerges on
millennia, the land uplift has tilted lake basins, the coast of the Gulf of
Metres above
the surface of Bothnia every year.
resulting in the appearance and disappearance the Ancylys Lake
of islands. The creation of new discharge chan- 1200 m
nels dramatically altered the size and island com-
position of many major lakes, including Saimaa
700 m
and Päijänne. Small islands have been destroyed Rovaniemi
by ice and waves, and when lakes have become 500 m
400 m
overgrown, their islands have naturally also been 300 m Kemi
200 m
obliterated. Humans have drained many lakes 150 m
100 m
50 m
or lowered their water levels, causing islands to –50 m
–100 m Oulu
–150 m
emerge or fuse with the mainland. –200 m
–250 m
Today the number of our freshwater islands The Finnish islands
Kajaani around 9,000 years
is 98,050. Almost 1,000 of them are islands on
ago. The Baltic Sea was
islands, located in lakes that are themselves on Kokkola then the freshwater An-
islands. Such lakes-on-islands number around cylus Lake, with its run-
Vaasa off outlet on the west-
2,000. The total island shoreline in freshwater Kuopio
Seinäjoki ern side of today’s Lake
areas stretches over 43,496 km, of which islands Joensuu Vänern in Sweden. The
in rivers account for 2,368 km. Thus our fresh- Jyväskylä
coastline was 60 metres
above the current level in
water areas just beat the marine areas in terms Savonlinna
Mikkeli
the south, and even over
of both the number of islands and the length of Tampere 200 metres in the Bay of
Pori Bothnia.
coastline. The same applies to the total area of Lappeenranta
2
islands: inland islands cover about 7,200 km and Hämeenlinna
Lahti
Source: Matti Tikkanen,
JYRKI HEIMONEN
2 University of Helsinki
sea islands 5,800 km . Turku © National Land Survey of
Kotka Finland 192/Mar/98
HELSINKI 0 km 100 km26 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
Island nature
Finnish sea islands are a veritable paradise for
researchers. They are young and undergo constant
growth and change. Land uplift is still pulling new
islands from the sea. An islet born on the open sea
often remains almost without vegetation for some
three centuries, until it has risen high enough to
provide a habitat for a few grasses, rushes and
other herbaceous plants rooted in rock crevices.
As the island grows in height, seaweed washed
in by waves is deposited in crevices and depres-
sions. Increasing in density, the root layer binds
composting matter underneath. This creates a
ERKKI SANTAMALA/KUVALIITERI
miniature meadow with blooming plants includ-
ing sea mayweed (Tripleurospermum maritimum),
chives (Allium schoenoprasum) or biting stonecrop
(Sedum acre). Purple loosestrife (Lythrum sali-
caria), yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris)LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS 27
PETTERI TOLVANEN
Bird-watching on Hailuoto. The most abundant nesting waterfowl on the island is the tufted duck (Aythya
fuligula), but teals (Anas crecca) and Eurasian wigeon (Anas penelope) are also common. Almost 20 species of
waders nest on the island, with the most common ones being ruffs (Philomachus pugnax), common redshanks
(Tringa totanus) and common snipes (Gallinago gallinago).
and meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria) thrive in habitats are destroyed by storms and ice. It takes
damp depressions. These depressions can also persistence and luck to survive. The largest mam-
become swampy and plants such as crowberry mals, such as elks, enjoy spending time on large,
(Empetrum nigrum), bog bilberry (Vaccinia uligi- forested inland and sea islands, sometimes even
nosum), marsh cinquefoil (Potentilla palustris) and attracting bears in their wake.
JOUNI KLINGA
even cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus) can rise
from the mossy ground. The first immigrant trees Toward diversity
are prostrate junipers, followed by rowans and The larger an island grows, the greater its number
twisted and knotted pines. Spruces carpet vast of species and their genetic diversity. Often only
depressed areas. around ten species of vascular plants can be found
The oystercatcher Insects are the first representatives of the ani- on small islands, while medium ones may have fifty
(Haematopus ostrale- mal kingdom to arrive, although by no means vol- and reasonably large ones over one hundred.
gus) is a wader with
a loud, piping call. To- untarily but blown in by winds. With more and Not enough time has passed for endemic spe-
day, around 4,000 pairs more areas available for shelter, feeding and cies to evolve on Finland’s sea islands, as they
nest in Finland, and they reproduction, insect diversity increases. Larger have on other islands worldwide. The migration
can be spotted in urban
parks and even nesting winged creatures also appear relatively early: of our islands from the outer sea to the bosom of
on roofs. gulls, waterfowl and wading birds efficiently fer- our inner archipelago, finally to merge with the
tilise the islets. The majority of island birdlife is mainland, has been too fast for the evolution of
only present in summer. An even larger group new species. A level of microevolution has, how-
consists of passing migrating birds, which on ever, taken place: our sea islands have forty-odd
peak days can flock in their tens of thousands. species of vascular plants whose features differ
Larger birds, such as sea eagles, golden eagles clearly from those of their inland ancestors.
Sea mayweed (Tripleu- and ospreys, are easy to spot. The homes of some of these subspecies are
rospermum maritimum) Among the first mammal invaders are voles, apparent in their scientific names: the common
and chives (Allium schoe- which can at times decimate a young island’s veg- bird’s foot trefoil native to Åland (Lotus cornicu-
noprasum) are common
on the outer islets of the etation. An island is always a harsh environment latus var. alandicus), the field mugwort of the Bay
Archipelago Sea. for many species: reproduction is difficult and of Bothnia (Artemisia campestris bottnica) and the28 LAND OF ISLANDS AND WATERS
hair-grass of the Sea of Bothnia (Deschampsia bott- land to Åland across the Skiftet strait.
JUHA LAAKSONEN
nica). The largest island in the Bay of Bothnia and the
The impact of land uplift is particularly pro- third-largest in Finland’s sea areas is Hailuoto.
nounced on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia. These Despite now rising up to 30 metres above sea
landscapes undergo dramatic transformations in level, the island was only born a little under 2,000
just one century in areas such as the Quark. The years ago. The land uplift has not been quite that
geological structure of the islands changes, with extreme: winds have piled sand onto the island.
moraine replacing rock. Plants growing near the When Hailuoto was 100 years old, it covered only
waterline on rocky shores include sea aster (Aster one square kilometre; by its first millennium it
2
tripolium), salt-marsh rush (Juncus gerardii) and was approximately 50 km , and today, approaching
2
creeping bent (Agrostis stolonifera), with purple its second millennium, the island covers 195 km .
loosestrife and the seashore subspecies of com- The Hailuoto landscape is characterised by vast
A long history of hu- mon valerian (Valeriana sambucifolia s. salina) fur- lichen-rich pine heaths. Tar pines buried in sand
man activity has had its ther up. Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) and bottle logs sticking out of drifts are interest-
impact, especially on the
state of the Gulf of Fin- is typical of many coastal stretches. Deciduous ing local sights.
land and the Archipela- woods dominated by birch or aspen are common. Our sea islands are usually divided into three
go Sea, but protection The Quark’s birdlife is characterised by black guil- zones. The outer archipelago is dominated by
measures have succeed-
ed in restoring the en- lemots (Cepphus grylle), razorbills (Alca torda), arc- water, and most islands lack trees. Moreover, the
dangered white-tailed tic terns (Sterna paradisea) and mew gulls (Larus middle archipelago is a balancing act between
eagle (Haliaeetus albicil- canus). Even the stately white-tailed eagle is no land and water, with barren islands dotted
la) population: more than
200 young eagles hatch longer a rare sight in the area. between forested ones. The inner archipelago is
every year. Even the In about 2,000 years, the land uplift at the dominated by land, with meandering waters in
crayfish (Astacus asta- Quark will have created a new land connection the form of narrow straits and bays. Woodland
TAPIO HEIKKILÄ
cus) is thriving, despite
the poor state of the sea between Finland and Sweden. In 3,000 years there constitutes the most barren areas. Former sea
bottom in some places. will also be a land connection from mainland Fin- bays are most often farmed clay soil.
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