LINNANSAARI NATIONAL PARK

Linnansaari National Park was established in 1956 and extended in 1982 and 2006. An inland archipelago of varied scenery and great natural diversity, the national park exemplifies the finest qualities of the finnish lakeland, one of the most distictive features on the country. The park encompasses 130 islands over one hectare in size and hundreds of smaller islets ans skerries, situated in an area 40 kilometres in length in the middle of Lake Haukivesi.
The park includes a labyrinth of sheltered islands as well as open lake areas scattered with isolated islands and skerries. The shores of the islands are mainly compodes of bare rock or are strewn with boulders; however a couple of the islands consist of sandy ridges.
Best known inhabitants; The Saimaa ringed seal, the ospreys and white-backed woodpecker.

How to get to the park?

Linnansaari National Park in Lake Haukivesi is only accessible by boat. In summer there is daily boat service to the main island from Porosalmi (Rantasalmi) and Oravi villages.

Boat timetable 28.6.-15.8.2010:

From Linnansaari to Porosalmi 10.00 and 16.00
From Porosalmi to Linnansaari 11.00 and 17.00

Price one way adult 14e, children 5e

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OSKARI - LINNANSAARI VISITOR CENTER

The Visitor Centre for Linnansaari National Park, is situated in the center of Rantasalmi. It´s exhibition provides an insight into the characteristics of the national park through the eyes of a boy called Oskari. The library display temporary axhibitions on various nature themes. Downstairs, video and slide programmes are shown about nature in general as well as about Linnansaari National Park in particular. The exhibitions of the visitor centre are open daily in summer and from monday to friday in winter. Admission is free. Souveniers, handicrafts, maps and something fun to take with you from our shop.

Open in 2010:
15.2.-13.6. Mo-Fr 9-16
14.6.-8.8. Daily 10-18
9.8.-29.8. Daily 10-16
30.8.-14.11. Mo-Fr 9-16
Welcome!

Ohitustie 7, tel.+358(0)205 645916

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SAIMAA RINGED SEAL

The most endangered seal in the world?
The Saimaa ringed seal is Finland´s only endemic mammal ant it is only found in the Saimaa lake district. Its main habitats include the lake areas on the national parks of Linnansaari and Kolovesi as well as lake Joutsenvesi and Lake Pihlajavesi. The most likely time to actually see seal in towards the end of may when it moults and hauls out on the lakeshore rocks to dry its fur. The protection and the monitoring of the population of Saimaa ringed seals, classified as an endangered species, is managed by Metsähallitus in co-operation with the Regional Environment Centres, the University of Joensuu, the regional Employment and economic Development Centres and the WWWF. Today population is less than 300 indivituals. To hear and see more about Saimaa ringed seal, please visit us in Oskari - Linnansaari visitor center.

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BIRD AREAS

Putkilahti - Ruskeaperä
Putkilahti - Ruskeaperä is included in the national Bird Wetland Conservation Programme and in the national Mire Conservation. The lake and the mires together constitute an area that supports a wide diversity of birds including the Great Bittern, the Western Marsh Harrier, the Whooper Swan, the Common Crane, the horned Grebe and various ducks and geese.

Vaahersalonlampi
Vaahersalonlampi - Savilahti in a valuable bird lake both in national and international terms. It is included in the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance. It´s a bird lake that supports a wide variety of breeding birds and also provides an important stop-off especially for waders during their autumn and spring migration.

Kosulanlampi - Pieni Raudanvesi
Kosulanlampi and Pieni Raudanvesi are significant for shore birds and waterfowl both as a breeding ground and as a stop-off place during their migration. The breeding birds include such valuable species as the Garganey ant the Northern Shoveler. The aquatic and shore vegetation of the areas is diverse and typical of a nutrient-rich lake. Sightings of a nationally endangered naiad species, Najas tenuissima, have been recorded in the Pieni Raudanvesi area.

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