{"id":2722,"date":"2017-10-11T17:15:14","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T14:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogit.utu.fi\/seili\/?p=2722"},"modified":"2017-10-20T13:54:40","modified_gmt":"2017-10-20T10:54:40","slug":"natural-environments1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogit.utu.fi\/seili\/en\/2017\/10\/11\/natural-environments1\/","title":{"rendered":"Natural environments in Seili (part 1)"},"content":{"rendered":"

For those who enjoy the outdoors, the nature of Seili offers unique experiences. In this post series, you\u2019ll find everything you need to know on exploring Seili island\u2019s lesser-known natural wonders. In this first post, we\u2019ll introduce the different natural environments of Seili. Later, we will focus for example on species restoration, habitat conservation, and endangered species found on the island.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Heritage landscape in the middle region of the island. View from the White house\u00a0towards Lembergsviken. Photo: Tommi Pohjakallio.<\/p><\/div>\n

The diversity of environments is a typical\u00a0characteristic of the middle archipelago region. Distinct feature for Seili is traditional farming and settlements, which\u00a0have left its traces in the landscape.\u00a0The first fields in Seili were cleared in the Middle Ages and grazing animals have altered the surroundings.\u00a0Due to mans clearing of forests into fields, meadows and grazing grounds, many plant species have also spread to new areas.<\/p>\n

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Professor Mikko Niemi’s sheep used to graze freely on the island in the 1990s. Photo: ARI’s archives.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Since 2013, cattle have been again grazing on Seili. The aim is to restore the landscape to its 19th-century state when the practice of grazing was more common. Photo: Tommi Pohjakallio.<\/p><\/div>\n

After the closing of the hospital, the buildings, and land and sea-areas of Seili were divided between the University of Turku,\u00a0the Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla) and the Archaeological Commission. The state-owned forest areas were included in the Solb\u00f6le research forest area and, consequently, several non-native tree species were planted in the open fields and meadows, some of which can still be found on Seili today. Metla administered the state-owned forests until 1995 after which the administration was put in the hands of Mets\u00e4hallitus Parks and Wildlife Finland. Nowadays\u00a0Seili is involved in a range of biodiversity protection programmes, including Natura 2000 and the Shore Conservation Programme. The buildings\u00a0and historical artifacts and sites are also protected. For these reasons, open fire, camping, digging etc. are not permitted on-site. To prevent erosion, visitors are also requested to stay on existing roads and paths.<\/p>\n

The current natural environment on the island can be divided into three parts: the lush and rich herb-rich forest in the south, the open heritage landscape in the center and the rugged north, dominated by coniferous trees. The rarest habitats on Seili are the large hazelnut bush herb-rich forests on the southern part and rocky grasslands in the center.<\/p>\n

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Lush hazelnut bush herb-rich forests are found at the southern end of the island. Photo: Katja M\u00e4kinen.<\/p><\/div>\n

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The rugged landscape of the north. Most of the forest area here is classified as natural forests. Photo: Katja M\u00e4kinen.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Walking towards Kirkkoniemi, the most notable land formation is a tombolo, a deposition formation. The tombolo ties together the main island of Seili and Kirkkoniemi, which used to be separate islands still in the mid- 19th century! Photo: Milla Aironsalmi.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense<\/em>), a vulnerable, protected species, grows rather abundantly on Seili.\u00a0Earlier it was considered as a problematic field weed, but disappeared, apparently due to a change in farming methods.\u00a0 Photo: Milla Aironsalmi.<\/p><\/div>\n

Sharp-eyed visitors may spot some species, such as the vulnerable field cow-wheat (Melampyrum\u00a0arvense<\/em>), and soapwort\u00a0(Saponaria officinalis<\/em>) and Burnet rose (Rosa spinosissima<\/em>),\u00a0favoured by traditional farming practices and\/or other human activities, in the center and next to the main building. In the future, visitors may familiarize themselves better with these plants, as we are planning to restore an old park and garden of useful plants, which existed next to the main building in the 19th century. Also, a nature trail,\u00a0offering the traveller a relaxing and refreshing experience to the natural habitats found in Seili, is in the plans for the future.<\/p>\n

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An old stone fence and possibly the remains of a gate can be spotted near the main building, which used to be part of an old park and garden of useful plants. Photo: Mikko Helminen 2012 Seili archeology project.<\/p><\/div>\n

Check out this beautiful aerial video from Seili by Timo Oksanen Productions:<\/p>\n