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| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
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NORTH KARELIAN |
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| General Description |
Situated north-east of Joensuu at the border to Russia, this biosphere reserve encompasses a generally flat landscape with some forested moraine hills (so called ‘vaara’), glacio-fluvial formations, mires, peat lands and lakes. Coniferous forest, which occurs throughout the region, can be divided into dry and moist heath forest. The whole region is only sparsely populated with about 2,320 people living in the transition area of the biosphere reserve (1991). Forestry and agriculture are the most important sources of income in this rural area, however also hunting activities, the exploitation of mires, fishing and gathering berries and mushrooms are common and economically significant. The biosphere reserve offers to the local people a channel to participate in the local economic development of the area and village meetings enhance the cooperation between local communities, administration and researchers. Projects in rural waste management and recycling, collecting and processing of wild and cultivated berries and herbs, and using cattle in landscape management have been initiated. In addition, basic data have been gathered for a comprehensive development programme of the area. |
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| Major ecosystem type | Boreal needleleaf forests or woodlands | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Dry heath forest characterized by Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Betula pendula, B. pubescens and Populus tremula; moist heath forest with the above species including Alnus incana; mull-soil forest with Picea abies, Betula pendula and B. pubescens; mire and peatland with Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris; treeless bogs including Vaccinium microcarpum, V. oxycoccus, Andromeda polifolia etc.; watercourses (lakes, ponds, rivers, springs) with Alnus glutinosa, Lythrum salicaria, Scutellaria galericulata etc.; agroecosystems with wheat, oats, barley, potatoes etc.; forestry ecosystems with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), spruce (Picea abies) and birch (Betula pendula) | |||
| Location | 61°45' to 63°50'N; 28°30' to 31°30'E | |||
| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 350,000 | |||
| Core area(s) | 14,200 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | Considered as part of the core area | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | 335,800 | |||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | +115 to +288 | |||
| Year designated | 1992 | |||
| Administrative authorities | Provincial Administration under the Ministry of the Environment | |||
| Last updated: 2/26/2007 |
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