Joutenvesi Nature Reserve

In Joutenvesi, you can enjoy paddling in the magnificent Saimaa archipelago. You can paddle on your own or join a paddling excursion organised by a local tourism operator. Paddlers can reach Lake Haukivesi in Linnansaari National Park via Tappuvirta strait, Oravi canal and Haponlahti canal. There is a connection to Kolovesi from the northern part of Lake Heinävesiselkä.

Temporary camping is permitted throughout the area, with the exception of restricted areas 1 January–30 April. Read the instructions, rules and regulations of the park (julkaisut.metsa.fi, in Finnish). Campfires are not permitted as there are no official campfire sites in the area. There are also no hiking trails or excursion harbours in the area.

Canoeing and water excursions in the area are Everyman's Rights.

Joutenvesi is said to have been named after the swans (joutsen is Finnish for swan) who make it their home. Another interpretation suggests that the lake got its name from the fact that its open water area is ‘still’ (‘jouten’ in Finnish).

A typical feature of Joutenvesi is the several straits with strong currents that flow through its labyrinthine archipelago. There is a very large number of islands in Joutenvesi. Their size ranges from small islets to islands with an area of approximately 200 hectares. The total amount of shoreline is therefore extensive, with bare rock being a common feature of the landscape. In Lake Joutenvesi, clear waters from the north mix with the more turbid waters from Lake Pielinen. The inhabitants of the archipelago include the common tern (Sterna hirundo) and black-throated loon (Gavia arctica), along with the European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus) and osprey (Pandion haliaetus) representing the local birds of prey.

The bare shoreline rocks soon change into more lush deciduous forest landscapes or rugged pine forests just beyond the shoreline. Birch and other deciduous trees grow in the conifer-dominated forests. The islands have bright herb-rich forests where endangered ghost orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) and frog orchid (Coeloglossum viride syn. Dactylorhiza viridis) thrive. Lindens form small stands here and there. The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) and Ural owl (Strix uralensis) hunt in the depths of Joutenvesi forests.

The small mires of Joutenvesi are located in grooves at the bottom of slopes or on the shoreline.

State-owned lands in Joutenvesi are mainly located on islands in the western and northern sections of the nature reserve. There is approximately 14 km2 of land and 60 hectares of water. Private nature reserves covering a total area of approximately 17 km2 are primarily found in the eastern part of the nature reserve. The Joutenvesi-Pyyvesi Natura 2000 area is made up of Lake Joutenvesi and Lake Pyyvesi, which is located a bit farther to the east. Lake Paasivesi can be reached via Lake Pyyvesi.

The Saimaa ringed seal thrives at Joutenvesi

Joutenvesi is an important breeding area for the Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis). Ringed seals prefer undeveloped shorelines as their breeding grounds. The most important breeding areas, within which all unnecessary access should be avoided in January-April, can be found in a map brochure (julkaisut.metsa.fi). A large number of voluntary fishing restriction agreements have been made with fishing cooperatives to protect the Saimaa ringed seal in water areas. A Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry decree (mmm.fi) prohibits the use of certain fishing traps and methods in key ringed seal areas.
Read more about Saimaa ringed seals.

These days, the islands in the region are largely uninhabited. However, fields overgrown with trees or otherwise abandoned can be found on all the largest islands, offering a glimpse into the farming past. A former field might be identified by the birches and spruces that have taken it over or trees planted in straight rows on the once arable land. Today, the endangered bristly bellflower (Campanula cervicaria) thrives on former fields. The endangered fragrant orchid (Gymnadenia conopsea var. conopsea), which is a tall and impressive orchid subspecies that grows in herb-rich forests and natural pastures, has also been found in the area. An Early Metal Age dwelling and a few tar-making pits, deer hunting pits or turnip growing pits found in the Joutenvesi area are protected by the Antiquities Act.

Previous commercial use of forests can still be seen

The island forests have been in used commercially for a long time. In the past, the ironworks at Oravi, for example, needed wood for its operation. Today, forests are most commonly young or mature conifer-dominated heath forests. Traces of felling and silviculture are still visible in the landscape, as more than half of the forests in the area are made up of only one species, and decaying wood is largely missing.
In Joutenvesi, the felling of trees is prohibited in the state-owned nature reserve, but felling in private nature reserves may occur.