Nature

PAN Parks Wilderness area of Paanajärvi represents a pristine unfragmented example of large boreal forest close to the Arctic Circle. The untouched boreal forests are homeland not only for brown bears, lynx and the wolf, but also for the very rare wild reindeer. Scale of wilderness in this park is astonishing - boreal forests with lakes reaching into far horizons with no sign of human presence, no roads nor towns: a great example of pristine, untouched and remote wilderness.

Flora

The territory is of extreme interest because of the abundance of rare minerals: marbles and other volcanic rocks. The favourable microclimate promote an abundance of vegetation: in the spruce-dominant groves growing on the southern slopes you can encounter wonderful orchids such as lady's-slipper, fairly slipper and red baneberry. The slopes of Mount Niskavaara and Mount Munavaara have magnificent forest areas. On the Ruskeakallio rocks you can find baby's breath and wall-rue spleenwort. Most of the forest in the park is completely untouched.

Fauna

The masters of these forests are the brown bear, wild reindeer, and wolverine. Altogether, 36 mammal species inhabit this area: elk, lynx, hare, lemming, and others. In wintertime, near the rivers otter can be found, as well as wolftracks. Many rare bird species nest in the national park. Golden eagle can be seen hovering over its domains. Black-throated diver finds refuge on the large lakes, and red-throated diver nests on small marshy lakes. Red-flanked bluetail, common for eastern taiga, sings in dense spruce forests, and Little bunting on the fringes of pine mires. Travellers can come across the great grey owl.The grayling population is high in the park's rivers. Lake Paanajärvi is inhabited by relic crayfish left from the time when after glacier's retreat it was a bay of the White Sea.

Flagship species: European diver, white tailed eagle, wild reindeer, wolverine, otter, brown bear, wolf