Hartola’s Isosuo Conservation Area Expands By 27 Hectares

Isosuo on Etelä-Suomessa harvinainen keidassuo (kuva: Niko Nappu).

The Foundation for Better Nature is protecting an additional 27 hectares of Hartola’s Isosuo peatland. With this addition, the foundation’s protected area in the peatland will increase to approximately 180 hectares. Isosuo is largely a natural or near-natural raised bog. The bog remains scenically intact, apart from a peat production area in the northwest. The edges of the peatland are wooded, with central areas featuring open and sparsely wooded sections.

Isosuo is one of the largest peatlands in southern Finland left outside the national peatland protection programme. It is the most significant peatland for birds in Päijät-Häme, serving as an important breeding ground and resting area for migratory birds. Species such as the golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria) and the wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola) have nested in Isosuo. During migration, species including the jack snipe (Lymnocryptes minimus), great snipe (Gallinago media) and merlin (Falco columbarius) have been observed in Isosuo. The site is a regionally important gathering area for cranes (Grus grus), which congregate there overnight due to the peatland’s tranquility. Isosuo is the northernmost and most significant site in Finland for the endangered larch tussock moth (Gynaephora selenitica); surveys this summer found the butterfly to be relatively abundant. Among birds, the most notable observation of the recent survey was the nesting of the wood sandpiper in the peatland.

In 2024, the foundation successfully restored large areas of Isosuo. New land acquisitions will enable restoration work to continue this year. Partioaitta played a significant role in supporting these new purchases; acquisitions were partly funded by the Ympäristöbonus donation the foundation received from the firm in 2024.

Niko Nappu, executive director of the Foundation for Better Nature, says: “We are really pleased with the growth in the conservation area. We can also continue the restoration work we began last year through the HELMI program. In the future, water will remain in the bog, where it belongs, and won’t carry peat into nearby lakes and rivers.”

Markku Kaloniemi, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board, considers the foundation’s achievements in Isosuo significant: “Thanks to donated funds, we’ve been able to acquire and secure a large, contiguous peatland area for future generations. Additionally, the foundation has carried out important restoration work here, which we are now continuing.”

Nappu adds: “The foundation’s long-term work for better nature is clearly bearing fruit. The peatland ecosystem, water systems, and local salmon stocks are all benefitting. Our goal is to further expand the protected area in Isosuo – and through donations, anyone can make a concrete contribution to improving the state of our natural environment.”

Further information and contact details:

Niko Nappu, Executive Director, Foundation for Better Nature sr
+358 50 511 6933, niko.nappu@plups.fi

The foundation, established in 2008, has as its core mission the acquisition and protection of areas suitable for nature conservation through donations and bequests. It is the most significant public-benefit nature conservation actor in the Päijänne catchment area. By 2030, our goal is to increase the number of protected areas fivefold and establish the foundation as a significant national player and a partner of international organizations.

The northern section of the Isosuo conservation area, with lake Jääsjärvi visible in the background. Restoration efforts are reducing the runoff of humic substances into the lake. Photo: Niko Nappu.
Larch tussock moth (Gynaephora selenitica). Isosuo is one of the best places to see the species in Finland. Photo: Mika Selin.
Foundation for Better Nature logo.