Kuovisuo (Curlew mire) is a beautiful small open mire which remains, for the most part, undrained. Willow grouse still lives here, and on early mornings in late May one can hear the bright tones of the rustic bunting on its edges.
Three hectares of the heathlands are nearly one hundred years old and in natural condition. A nine hectare wooded island in the middle of the property was cut in the 1960s but has since been left outside of any forest management operations.
Kuovisuo enjoys a fortunate location. Immediately to the south of the area lies the Sanginjoki forest owned by the city of Oulu. For the past 12 years there has been lively debate on protecting the forest. The southeastern corner of the Kuovisuo property is adjoined by the so far largest protected part of the Sanginjoki forest, Isokangas. Our hope is that the protection of Kuovisuo will speed up the protection of the remaining valuable parts of the Sanginjoki forest too.
Half of the purchase price, 30 000 euros, was donated by the Northern Ostrobothnian section of the The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation.
PHOTO: Ari-Pekka Auvinen
