A large part of the Repovesi area has been owned and
used by the forest industry. Some parts, however, in the middle of lakes, ponds,
streams and small spruce and pine mires, have been left untouched. The forests
of Repovesi National Park vary from old-growth pine to young sapling stands.
With new conservation measures some commercial forests are now being restored to
their natural state (www.metsa.fi).
The Cry of the Red-throated Diver
One of Finland’s most populated Red-throated Diver (Gavia stellata)
colonies nests on forest ponds in Repovesi National Park. The Red-throated Diver
migrates to Repovesi in April or May to nest. They inhabit the mire-like shores
of small lakes and ponds or sometimes on the edge of small pools in the middle
of mires. Red-throated Divers are so loud at stating their intentions during
mating season that hikers camping nearby will find it difficult to sleep.
Especially at Lake Olhavanlampi the sounds echo off of cliffs.
Many Species Thrive Deep in the Forests
Over half of Repovesi’s trees are pines. In these
pine-dominated heaths lingonberries, blueberries, lichens and moss thrive.
Crustose lichens such as Arctoparmelia centrifuga spread over surface
rock in green-grey circles and Cladonia coccifera´s bright red ends
shine on the ground. Rare mushrooms can be found if one knows to look for
Melanoleuca verrucipes
in moose faeces or for
Beaked Earthstars (Geastrum pectinatum) in anthills. Also
many different species of
animals
inhabit the heaths of Repovesi National Park in
abundance.
Humid Forests
Between high cliffs there are lush grove-like forests. In these areas the
Littleleaf Linden (Tilia cordata), which is a rarity, can be found. On
summer nights the wonderful smell of the Lesser Butterfly-Orchid
(Platanthera bifolia) wafts over the herb-rich forests.
Spring floods on the one hand
and dams built by Canadian Beavers (Castor Canadensis) on the other
have caused flood meadows with common alder (Alnus glutinosa) to form
around streams. These are cool and murky places even on sunny summer days.
Birches tend to die standing up in flood meadows, which creates a superb
environment for tinder polypore (Fomes fomentarius), birch polypore
(Piptoporus betulinus) and Phellinus
igniarius.
Extraordinary Cliffs and Rocks
Movement of the earth’s crust, the Ice Age and erosion
have all helped form the cliffs of Repovesi, which are unique in composition and
look. For example, at Olhavanvuori Rock the cliff-face has obvious marks left by
shifting glaciers. On the north-side of the Lapinsalmi hanging bridge there is a
contact, where two rock types meet. The rock on the north-side of this contact
is hard granite typical of Central
Finland. The rock on the south-side is the world’s largest deposit of
rapakivi called Vyborg
rapakivi,
which is a very rare rock type.
