Finnish government acquires geologically significant area in Ohtavaara, Pudasjärvi

The Finnish government has acquired a geologically significant area in Ohtavaara, located in Pudasjärvi, North Ostrobothnia. The seller was Kivarin Joint Forest, which offered the Ohtavaara parcel for conservation purposes. The area transferred to state ownership encompasses approximately 154 hectares and is situated near Lake Iinattijärvi.

Eero Melantie, head of a unit at the North Ostrobothnia ELY Centre, emphasized the importance of this significant property transaction. “The purchase price is in the hundreds of thousands of euros. An average conservation area sale is about 10 hectares, making this deal quite significant in terms of ecological value,” he noted.

The Ohtavaara landforms were shaped around 10,650 years ago during an ancient phase of the Baltic Sea, when the glacial landscape was revealed. The area was submerged under water until it reached elevations of 205-210 meters, which is considered the highest shore level in the eastern part of Pudasjärvi. The waves of the ancient lake created coastal formations, leaving behind extensive stone piles known as “devil’s fields.”

Ohtavaara is particularly important for its threatened species, featuring notable rock flora and a variety of lichens and mosses. The acquisition was made possible through funding from the METSO program, which is now nearly exhausted for the year in the region’s ELY Centre. Ohtavaara is recognized nationally for its valuable rocky area and coastal formations. The newly acquired land comprises both commercial forestry and untouched natural areas, complementing the adjacent Ohtosensuo wetland, part of Finland’s Natura network.