Multiharju Old-Growth Forest, Finland

Multiharju (72.5 ha ¹) is a part of Seitseminen National Park (45.5 km²). It was protected as early as 1910, when it is thought to having been still completely untouched¹. Unfortunately, a road divides the Multiharju Forest into a northern and a smaller southern part.

Multiharju is an esker (glacial sand ridge, harju = esker) surrounded by bogs. The bogs are at an elevation of approx. 160 m and the hilltop at approx. 190 m. Annual precipitation is approx. 700 mm and average annual temperature approx. 4.5°C ².

Multiharju is renowned for its magnificent Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) – up to almost 400 years old – that have survived multiple forest fires during their lives³ (photo right). After the cessation of fires, Norway spruce (Picea abies) has invaded the forest. Today Multiharju is mostly spruce forest with plenty of old pines to remind us of ancient forest fires. There are also silver birch (Betula pendula), downy birch (B. pubescens) and common aspen (Populus tremula) here and there (photo below). The forest is not particularly tall: both spruce and pine reach approx. 30 m at the best sites on almost level ground at low elevations. The amount of dead wood is high. The undergrowth is dominated by mosses and bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), at drier sites also by lingonberry (V. vitis-idaea).