National park "Kalevalsky"

Kalevalsky national park is founded for preservation of a large natural forestland remained in the territory of the Republic of Karelia, as well as for protection of natural and cultural landscape which became the basis of the world-famous Karelian epos Kalevala. By the degree of safety of many types of wood ecosystems, mainly dry pine woods on rocks and fluvio-glacial sediments, Kalevalsky park is unique and has no analogues in Fennoscandia. Except for unique woods, Kalevalsky park includes many rare marsh and lake ecosystems requiring special protection.

Mode of special protection of land, excluding any activity which may cause damage to natural complexes, flora and fauna objects, cultural and historical objects and which conflict with the national park purposes and tasks is introduced in territory of the park.

Local landscape is a mosaic of forests, bogs and lakes. Rather a huge lake Lower Lapukka is located in the bordering zone. For centuries this was the place of wild fowl and fish prey. The traces of those times remained till our days - these are ingrown fish smoking-sheds, trees with incisions, marking the borders of hunting grounds, and bait holes. Lots of pathes are formed elks, deers and bears. Old roads, connecting villages, are now hardly seen.

Kalevalsky forests are unique - there is nothing alike anywhere in Europe. They are valuable for their invariable for thousands of years habitat, in which the most fastidious species of animals and plants are kept safe.

In the western part of the park predominate old-aged fir-trees, in the eatsern - pine-trees. Here traveller sees a pinery in all its variety. This may be a young light forest with the trees of the same height or a ripe forest, composed of a huge trees and young underwood. The noise of streams in deep ravines breakes the silence.

Here lives bear (Ursus arctos), in summer one can see a deer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus), walking along the shore with a cub.

In spring the king of the primeval forest golden eagle (Aguila chrysaetos) goes round protecting his nest. Fish-hawks (Pandion haliaetus) are hunting in the lakes. Sometimes erne (Haliaeetus albicilla), black kite (Milvus migrans), lapland owl (Strix nebulosa), crane (Cygnus cygnus) and geese can be seen here.

 

You can get to Kalevalsky national park by a road from Kostomuksha to Vuokkiniemi village (55 kms, regular bus) or by a road going to Vuokkijeki. From Voknavolok you go to the north till Voinitsa (39 kms) and Sudnozero (25 kms) or to the west along Latvajarvi road (25 kms till the border). There is a regular train Petrozavodsk - Kostomuksha. Foreigners may get there through Vartius-Ljuttja check-point, which is not far from Kuhmo.