Archipelago

Archipelago National Park encompasses 52 square kilometers (with an additional 450+ square kilometers of protected sea area) across thousands of islands, islets, and skerries in southwestern Finland's extraordinary archipelago. Established in 1983, it is Finland's only marine national park and protects a unique transition zone from inner sheltered archipelago to exposed outer skerries facing the open Baltic Sea. The landscape features rocky islands shaped by glaciation and sea action, ranging from forested islands with traditional villages to barren granite outcrops exposed to wind and waves. The archipelago's biological diversity is exceptional, with over 1,000 plant species including rare coastal plants and internationally important seabird colonies. The area represents a living cultural landscape where traditional activities including fishing, seal hunting, and small-scale farming have shaped the environment for centuries. This integration of natural and cultural values makes the Archipelago unique among Finnish national parks.

The southwestern Finnish archipelago has been inhabited for thousands of years, with Stone Age sites discovered on numerous islands. During the Viking Age and medieval period, the archipelago was important for trade routes and seal hunting. Swedish-speaking communities developed distinctive maritime cultures, with traditional livelihoods including fishing, seal hunting, piloting, and small-scale farming on island meadows. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the archipelago supported vibrant communities on hundreds of islands, but improved transportation and industrialization led to gradual depopulation. Conservation interest developed in the 1960s when ecologists documented the area's exceptional biodiversity and recognized threats from recreational boating and development. Balancing conservation with traditional land use rights proved complex, as many islands remained inhabited or in active use. Archipelago National Park was established in 1983 with boundaries carefully negotiated to protect ecologically valuable areas while respecting traditional rights and communities.

Archipelago National Park is accessible only by boat, with the main visitor facilities located on Högsåra island, accessible by regular ferry service from Kasnäs or Pärnäinen during summer months. The Archipelago National Park Nature Center on Högsåra provides exhibitions about archipelago nature and culture, visitor information, and serves as a base for exploring the park. The park includes limited land areas on dozens of islands spread across a vast sea area, connected by boat routes rather than trails. Popular destinations include Örö island (former military area opened to visitors), the Jurmo-Utö outer archipelago, and numerous small islands with harbors and nature trails. Facilities include marked nature trails on several larger islands, wilderness camping areas, day-use harbor areas with basic services, and several staffed information points during summer. The park is primarily visited from June to August, with boating, kayaking, and sailing the main modes of exploration. Winter access is extremely limited.

Archipelago National Park conservation operates within a complex framework balancing natural protection with traditional land use rights and active fishing communities. Management focuses on protecting seabird colonies during critical breeding seasons (May-July) through temporary access restrictions to sensitive islands. The Baltic ringed seal, an endangered subspecies, receives special protection with disturbance-free zones maintained around haul-out sites. Traditional coastal meadows, created by centuries of grazing and mowing, support exceptional plant diversity and are maintained through continued grazing by sheep and cattle. Invasive species management addresses introduced American mink predation on ground-nesting birds and removal of non-native plants from some islands. The Baltic Sea environment faces challenges including eutrophication, plastic pollution, and industrial contaminants, requiring cooperation across national boundaries. Climate change monitoring tracks changes in ice conditions, sea levels, and shifts in species distributions, with warming waters allowing southern species to colonize while potentially displacing cold-water specialists. The park works within international frameworks for Baltic Sea protection and serves as a model for integrating conservation with living cultural traditions.