The Finnish pulp, paper, and timber manufacturer UPM Kymmene owns about 930 000 hectares of forests in Finland. These forests include those that have been cut heavily as well as those standing almost in their natural state. The 6,6-hectare wood lot in Pälkäne had not been cut for a long time, and the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation managed to buy this lot in 2001.

Mustikkamäki, a hill covered with conifers, is located less than a kilometre from Lake Pälkänevesi. This protected forest rises between fields and village roads and is thus important to the landscape as well. The forest offers a lot: large pine trees and sturdy spruces with younger mixed forests dominating elsewhere. The forest is returning to its natural state at a steady speed with some decaying wood beginning to appear already.

The idea of acquiring the Mustikkamäki Hill came from Mr Pentti Linkola, the founder of the foundation. The forest is located in the region where he used to go hiking, and that is why he wanted to save at least a part of it. There was some of the basic capital donated by Mr Linkola left, and so the board of the foundation decided to use the money for the purchase of the Mustikkamäki Hill according to the chairman’s wishes.