Southwestern Archipelago National Park
Encyclopedia
Archipelago National Park is a national park
in Finland Proper
. It was established in 1983 and covers 500 square kilometres (193 sq mi) of land areas. It is part of the UNESCO
biosphere reserve
s and received a PAN Parks
certificate in 2007.
The park consists of all state owned waters and lands in a large co-operation area, excluding areas of defence forces. The co-operation area covers most of the southern part of the Archipelago Sea
, that is the parts of the former municipalities of Korpo
, Nagu
and Dragsfjärd
south of their main islands. The park includes more than 2 000 islands and islets. The area is inhabited and part of the mission of the park is to encourage traditional ways of living and to preserve the culture of the area.
There are information centers in Kasnäs
in Kimitoön
and in Korpoström in Väståboland
, reachable by coach or car. There are ferry connections to the larger, inhabited, islands but most of the park can be reached only by boat.
Mostly normal freedom to roam applies in the park, but the nature is fragile and special care has to be taken, especially regarding nesting birds. There are areas with special restrictions. Camping is in practice restricted to assigned areas.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in Finland Proper
Finland Proper
Finland Proper or Southwest Finland , is a region in south-western Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Ahvenanmaa and Uusimaa.- Municipalities :...
. It was established in 1983 and covers 500 square kilometres (193 sq mi) of land areas. It is part of the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
biosphere reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
s and received a PAN Parks
PAN Parks
PAN Parks works to protect Europe's wilderness, the continent's most undisturbed areas of nature.PAN Parks, the only European-wide organisation focusing on the protection of wilderness areas, applies an approach combining wilderness protection and sustainable tourism development.The organisation...
certificate in 2007.
The park consists of all state owned waters and lands in a large co-operation area, excluding areas of defence forces. The co-operation area covers most of the southern part of the Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea
Archipelago Sea is a part of the Baltic Sea between the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland and the Sea of Åland, within Finnish territorial waters...
, that is the parts of the former municipalities of Korpo
Korpo
Korpo is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2009, it was consolidated with Houtskär, Iniö, Nagu and Pargas to form the new town of Väståboland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region...
, Nagu
Nagu
Nagu is a former municipality of Finland. On 1 January 2009, it was consolidated with Houtskär, Iniö, Korpo and Pargas to form the new town of Väståboland....
and Dragsfjärd
Dragsfjärd
Dragsfjärd is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Kimito and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön....
south of their main islands. The park includes more than 2 000 islands and islets. The area is inhabited and part of the mission of the park is to encourage traditional ways of living and to preserve the culture of the area.
There are information centers in Kasnäs
Kasnäs
Kasnäs is a village in the municipality of Kimitoön, Finland. It belongs to the archipelago of Hitis. Blåmusslan, one of the two information centers of the Archipelago National Park is situated here. The ferries to the archipelago of Hitis, including Vänö and Tunnhamn, leave from here. There is...
in Kimitoön
Kimitoön
Kimitoön is the largest coastal island of Finland with the area of . It is situated in the Finland Proper region in Western Finland province. The island has a population of 7,500 divided between the two municipalities: Kimitoön and Salo of which Salo is mostly located on the mainland. The island...
and in Korpoström in Väståboland
Väståboland
Väståboland is a municipality of Finland, in the Archipelago Sea. The big limestone mine in Pargas is the base of the main industry, while there is still significant rural areas. Except the central parts of Pargas the municipality is mostly rural....
, reachable by coach or car. There are ferry connections to the larger, inhabited, islands but most of the park can be reached only by boat.
Mostly normal freedom to roam applies in the park, but the nature is fragile and special care has to be taken, especially regarding nesting birds. There are areas with special restrictions. Camping is in practice restricted to assigned areas.