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Soomaa National Park
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Soomaa National Park
22. july 2003
Soomaa National Park was established on December 8, 1993 in order to protect large mires, floodplain meadows and forests in Estonia, and to preserve as well as present cultural lore characteristic to this area.
The territory of the national park is divided into zones of different protection levels: strict nature reserve, special management zone and limited management zone. The total national park area is 371 km2, of which strict nature reserve covers 1.5km2, special management zone 287km2 and limited management zone 82.5km2. Four big bogs and mires are close to each other, forcing forest and rivers in the narrow passageways between them and making Soomaa a traditional land of swamps: Kuresoo 10 842 ha, Kikepera 6 900 ha, Ördi 4 910 ha and Valgeraba 3 000 ha.
However, just as characteristic to Soomaa are the rivers running through it that are bordered with floodplain forests and extensive floodplain meadows. Having accumulated more than enough water from the Sakala heights and from the Soomaa wet lowlands, they leave their beds to adventure among the adjoining floodplain meadows. During the bigger floods the water flows through the forests as well as in through the doors and windows of the houses that happen to be on its way. Thus it comes as no surprise when Soomaa people are call the flood period the "fifth season" For getting aroung during that time they use an archaic watercraft called a 'haabja' (dugout) – a boat that has been carved out from the trunk of an aspen tree.
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