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Kivisuo (“Marshmire of Stones“)

Total area: Kivisuo is a 750 hectare peatland rewilding site in Muhos community in central Finland. It is part of a nationally-relevant 20-kilometer-wide Muhos-Utajärvi peatland complex. Admission into the Landscape Rewilding Programme: The site was included into the Landscape Rewilding Programme in June 2020. The site was formally protected in September 2020. In 2021 the site expanded with appr. 40 hectares of forests and peatlands. In August 2022 the site was expanded with another 109 hectares. Characteristics: Kivisuo is an aapa peatland. It is the home of many nesting and staging birds, including waders. Of special value is the nesting of Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) in the area. Kivisuo is the largest site in the Landscape Rewilding Programme. It is formally protected in 2021 and one of the largest conservation areas in Finland. Rewilding Actions: Kivisuo has many natural features left. Rewilding actions include 1. Investigation of expanding the site with neighboring land owners 2. Restoring the channels that runs through the site as needed, timetable: 2022 3. Inventories of key species, vegetation, GHG (first bird surveys completed in 2020, continued in 2021-22) Info on Species: Central to Peregrine Falcon, waders, Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus).

June 2020

September 2020

Paanakka Adjacent Sites Added

109 hectares added to the north

Species of Kivisuo

Currently inventories have documented over 29 species on Kivisuo, but this is to be considered a very preliminary number as the surveys will continue over the next few years. Of special interest is the Peregrine Falcon, common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) and European honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus) as well as a number of waders, including Wood Sandpiper.