The heirs of the Järvi-Tarkka farm in Kauhajoki decided to sell the site to the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation in early autumn 2019. The farms, which have long been allowed to live in their natural state, are located in three sections, the largest of them by Lake Uuronjärvi.
It is mostly spruce and mixed forest that grows on Järvi-Tarkka’s undrained land with no signs of loggings. Small parts of the terrain are made up of open bogs. Under the foundation’s protection, the forests will continue to develop in peace and quiet with an increasing number of species over the upcoming decades.
Järvi-Tarkka is an area of 29 hectares whose versatility also includes about ten hectares of old meadows that are growing over. Meadows and traditional biotopes are among the most threatened habitats in Finland, making them an important part of the acquisition. They are an excellent addition to the foundation’s selection of conservation areas. Lake Uuronjärvi is a starting point for one of the Isojoki river’s headwaters. The river is known for its sea trouts.
The conservation area is not only about nature, but also about old log buildings. The foundation was thus given the opportunity to buy part of a place where time has stopped and to ensure that future generations will also enjoy all of it. The previous owner lived there until he turned 90 – it remained uninhabited for about ten years until the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation became the new owner. We intend to take care of the meadows with voluntary forces together with the nature conservation district.
There are more and more trees falling down, and there are dead trees standing in increasing quantities year by year in the Järvi-Tarkka area. In this versatile environment, you will find many interesting and valuable animal species: the trout, the otter, and the European beaver live in the water. In the forest, you will find the flying squirrel. The bird population is made up of the nightjar, the black-throated loon, and northern goshawk, among others.
Järvi-Tarkka creates an excellent contribution to the protection of the area around Lake Uuronjärvi, an area that already covers about thirty hectares owned by both the state and private owners.
