Finland: Untamala SCI

Site fact file
Natura 2000 Ambassador for the Natura Network Initiative...   Representative of Association for traditional rural landscapes, National Board of Antiquities)
Teija Tiitinen
 
Country Finland
Natura 2000 site location South-West Finland
Nearest urban settlement Laitila town ( ca. 3 km)
Natura 2000 site name Untamala SCI
Unofficial but locally accepted name/s for the site Untamala-Kodjala
Natura 2000 site number FI0200066
Size of site (hectares) 32 ha
Key Species types Emberiza hortulana, Lanius collurio
Key Habitat types 6270 Fennoscandian lowland species-rich dry to mesic meadows
9010 Western taiga (Pinus dominant)
9020 Fennoscandian hemiboreal natural old broad-leaved deciduous forests with Quercus robur, Tilia, Acer, Fraxinus and Ulnus
9050 Fennoscandian herb-rich forests with Picea abies
Key management issues The area is one of the most remarkable landscape areas of the country. The mosaic landscape has been formed over a very long period of interaction between man and nature. There are dwelling places from the Stone Age (7300-1300 BC) and bronze age burrows (1300-500 BC) and in addition dozens of prehistoric remains from the Iron Age (500 BC - 1150 AD). The area is situated beside Turku-Rauma highway including representative ancient dry meadows. Meadows host representative traditional rural biotope species such as Armeria maritima, Thymus serpyllum, Artemisia campestris and Verbascum nigrum and several threatened invertebrates such butterfly species. The flying squirrel (Pteromys volans) is common in the area.
The area is extremely rich in archaeological remains and there are indications (nomenclature, previous prosperity, prehistoric remains, bronze age findings and special characteristics of nature) that the place could be original happening scene for the events of Finnish national epos Kalevala. There has been established new archaeological centre
http://www.nba.fi/en/untamalaeng
There are representative herb rich forest compartments in their northernmost distribution area such as Mussalonmäki grove (Quercus robur - Corylus avellana).
There are in the area some Finnish Agri-Environmental programme agreements but unfortunately management of small-sized labour demanding compartments do not fit well in this programme (because of hectare based support) at the moment so further arrangements and new financing and management methods are needed in the future. The National Board of Antiquities is responsible organization of management of the core area.

 

Natura Network Agreements
Organising at least one Green Days event per year There are archaeological centre in the area. Several happenings, exhibitions and seminars take place each year. The National Board of Antiquities together with the Association for traditional rural landscapes and local associations and stakeholders are willing to arrange green day -happenings in the future.
Promoting Natura 2000 at the local level Photo exhibitions, seminars, interdisciplinary courses etc. Association for traditional rural landscapes arranged vascular plant identification course in the area in 2005.
Involving local stakeholders in the management planning process - creating a local area partnership Involving and networking of all necessary stakeholders should be strengthened. The management of small sized but valuable patches should be arranged.
Involved in European networking / Twinned with other site for knowledge exchange Untamala-Kodjala was example area in the Nordic publication "Fair is the blooming meadow" edited by Iiro Ikonen (Chairman of the association for traditional rural landscapes). Look at:
http://www.norden.org/pub/sk/showpub.asp?pubnr=2004:564
The area participated also in the EU project "Cultural pathways to European landscape" of 9 European countries. The responsible person in the project was Teija Tiitinen, working in the National Board of Antiquities and in the board of the Association for traditional rural landscapes in SW Finland. Look at cultural 2000 project and Untamala pathway in
http://www.pcl-eu.de/
http://www.pcl-eu.de/partners/untamala/pathway/index.php
Agreeing to become an NNi ambassador Teija Tiitinen teija.tiitinen(a)vsperinnemaisemat.net

 

Site contact Teija Tiitinen (Association for traditional rural landscapes, National Board of Antiquities)
teija.tiitinen@vsperinnemaisemat.net
Web site NA