Koli National Park

Koli National Park (Kolin kansallispuisto)
Protected area
An elevated view at Koli
Country	Finland
Region	North Karelia
Coordinates	63°03′27″N 29°53′14″E / 63.05750°N 29.88722°E / 63.05750; 29.88722Coordinates: 63°03′27″N 29°53′14″E / 63.05750°N 29.88722°E / 63.05750; 29.88722
Area	30 km2 (12 sq mi)
Established	1991
Management	Metsähallitus
Visitation	127,500 (2009)
IUCN category	II - National Park
Location in Finland
Website: www.outdoors.fi/kolinp

Koli National Park (Finnish: Kolin kansallispuisto) is a national park in the municipalities of Joensuu, Lieksa and Kontiolahti in the North Karelia region of Finland. It covers 30 square kilometres (12 sq mi) of forested hills on the western shore of Lake Pielinen, and was established in 1991. Contrary to the other national parks in Finland, Koli National Park was originally governed by the Finnish Forest Research Institute Metla. It is now governed by the Metsähallitus like the other national parks.

Koli has lots to offer cultural heritage-wise. Formerly, it was a sacrificial site, but was later used for slash-and-burn agriculture. The purpose of Koli National Park isn't to preserve wild nature, but the traditional agricultural heritage is cherished in Koli. Some fields are slashed, burnt and re-cultivated; hay is cut yearly. Traditional Finnish breeds of cow and sheep graze in the meadows of Koli.

The Koli National Park is divided into three different zones according to central protection objectives.

Attention is paid to the national landscape and geology in a zone which covers the highest tops of Koli. The cultural zone is located quite near a village. In the culture zone, the multiformity of the traditional landscapes is maintained by burn-beating, by grazing, and by managing open fields by among other methods, mowing. The yard circles with their old buildings on the open field and on the pasturage graze the pearls of the burn-beaten area culture in the middle of the open man-made landscape lined by the koivikko, the kyyttö and sheep. The multiform flora of open fields, in particular, need annual maintenance mowing in order to be preserved. To the nature zone the forest nature of dangers is protected. The nature of Koli's terrain is well-varied, and thanks to it, there are a large number of different biotopes even in a small area, and thus a great variety of multiform species. The rocky terrain is fairly rugged, but with dense growths of old spruces and birches on valley slopes.

The most well-known vantage point in the park is Ukko-Koli, with a grand view to the East over lake Pielinen. Near the top there is the Heritage Center Ukko and Hotel Koli. Two long scenery lifts operate during the summer.