The Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation acquired a forest property of approximately 20 hectares in the middle of March. The area is located in the Haapakylä region in the municipality of Valtimo, on the southern slope of the Koivuvaara hill. The new conservation area was named Vanamonsalo.

The conservation area includes approximately seven hectares of old-growth spruce forest with mossy undergrowth, some hectares of aging pine-studded forest and nearly three hectares of birch groves. In other parts of the area, we see meadows and even some forest hectares exposed to group cuttings. There is also a rather large pond-like spring rippling in the area as well.

The Vanamonsalo Forest grows rapidly on a eutrophic, “blueberry-type” forest floor. Our aim is to follow its recovery to its natural state and potentially even enhance the recovery process by voluntary restoration work. There will be a restoration plan drawn up for the area during the current year. The forest property was acquired from an estate of a deceased person at a reasonable price, which made it possible to protect a relatively large area.

The Koivuvaara scenic overlook can be found on the upper side of Vanamonsalo. Further, on the northern side, three kilometres away from the area, we see the Hoikanvaara nature preserve of old-growth forest spreading out over an area of a little over a hundred hectares. In the North Karelia region, the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation has already managed to acquire the 46-hectare Tervavaara conservation area, which is located at a distance of some 25 kilometres, as the crow flies, from Vanamonsalo.