European Wilderness Network Archipelago WILDCoast
2018 Š European Wilderness Society www.wilderness-society.org
European Wilderness Network
Archipelago WILDCoast, Finland
Wilderness Uniqueness
Š European Wilderness Society www.wilderness-society.org
2007 2010 Large, contiguous marine WILDCoast with rich underwater life and small islands exposed to the extreme conditions of the open Baltic Sea approx. 50 000 approx. 50
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Map scale 1 : 1 680 000
10 600 ha
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WILDCoast Protected area
50 000 ha
EU
Number of visitors per year to the protected area Number of visitors per year to the WILDCoast
Archipelago National Park Archipelago WILDCoast Finland
PLATINUM
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The 10 600 ha Archipelago WILDCoast was audited and monitored in 2007, 2008 and in 2010 and meets the Platinum Wilderness Quality Standard. A European Wilderness Quality Standard Renewal-Audit is scheduled for 2020.
Protected area Wilderness Country Size of the protected area Size of the WILDCoast First Audit Most Recent Audit
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European Wilderness Quality Standard Audit System
Wilderness information
E U ROP E A
The 10 600 ha Archipelago WILDCoast is embedded in the Archipelago National Park, Finland. Archipelago WILDCoast is part of one of the largest archipelagos in the world and forms an endless sea with thousands of islands and rocky islets. While Archipelago National Park has traditional land uses, like fishing and small-scale agriculture on the islands, the Archipelago WILDCoast is the only continuous marine fishing-free and strictly protected no-go zone in the Baltic.
O WILDERNESS S
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Archipelago WILDCoast / Finland
Biodiversity The Archipelago WILDCoast at the edge of the Baltic Sea is characterised by windswept pine forests on rocks, low deciduous forests and bare rocky islets, which show parts of the ancient bedrock. The Archipelago WILDCoast provides a safe refuge for the declining population of the Baltic ringed seal and also for the more common grey seal. Once in a while the white-tailed eagle circles in the sky on the hunt for prey. This species is the largest breeding bird in Finland and the whole of Northern Europe. Other species of small rodents and moose can be seen on the islands. Under water, the Archipelago WILDCoast is an area with very unique ecosystems, depending on the amount of sunlight.
Wilderness Tourism Experience Archipelago WILDCoast is strictly protected, but visitors have a wide range of opportunities in the rest of the Archipelago National Park. You can enjoy the very unique archipelago scenery, with common activities like sailing, canoeing, swimming, hiking, cycling, diving and snorkelling. If you enjoy bird watching, you are in for a treat. Activities focusing on ‘learning in nature’ have become more common. This includes programs that are particularly available to schools. These focus on experiencing nature, the outdoors and practical skills.
Contact Archipelago WILDCoast Archipelago National Park Meripuistontie (Sinisimpukantie) 25930, Kasnäs, Finland Phone: +358 206 39 4620 Website: www.nationalparks.fi/en/archipelagonp
© European Wilderness Society www.wilderness-society.org
European Wilderness Society
Founded on more than 20 years of Wilderness work by our members, the European Wilderness Society is the only Pan-European, Wilderness and environmental advocacy non-profit, non-government organisation. It has a dedicated multi-cultural and experienced team of Wilderness and wildlife specialists, nature conservationists, researchers and scientists, tourism experts, marketing and business professionals, legal advisors and Wilderness advocates, whose mission is to: XX XX XX XX
identify designate steward promote
Europe’s last Wilderness, WILDCoasts, WILDForests, WILDIslands and WILDRivers. Here non-human intervention leads to open-ended, dynamic processes. This is conveyed through a range of projects that facilitate Wilderness knowledge exchange, including education, culture and science, from local community through to scientific and governmental level.
European Wilderness Network
The European Wilderness Network connects Europe’s wildest places. Certified by the European Wilderness Quality and Audit System, these unique areas host diverse wild ecosystems governed by dynamic open-ended processes, with no or minimum human-intervention. The Network includes, for example, Europe’s last primeval beech forests, the arctic tundra, and mountain landscapes in different climate conditions. It aims to promote Europe’s last Wilderness, WILDCoasts, WILDForests, WILDIslands and WILDRivers, with a comprehensive marketing strategy. The European Wilderness Network offers a platform to share Wilderness Stewardship best-practice examples and Wilderness research. It connects like-minded Wilderness managers and advocates and fosters the exchange of ideas and knowledge across Europe and the world through the European Wilderness Exchange Programme. For more information please see http://european-wilderness.network
European Wilderness Society Registration number / ZVR Zahl: 305471009 Registered in Austria Dechant-Franz-Fuchs Str. 5 | A-5580 Tamsweg EU Transparency registration number: 706136913777-83
www.wilderness-society.org