A Sunday walk on a Research Forest

September 2012

The Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metsäntutkimuslaitos, Metla, in Finnish) does forest research around Finland. They also have several research forests around Finland. Nearest of them for me is located in the city of Vantaa, namely in Ruotsinkylä. In Ruotsinkylä Research Forest, there are three separate areas near of each other. All of them have Forest Paths to walk.

Went for a slow motion walk on one of the paths in Ruotsinkylä, called Raitio. There were new information signs built earlier this year which I hadn't seen yet. Raitio contained traditional Finnish trees.

Weather was cloudy, miserable, some +10C. Forecast predicted sun, which stayed behind clouds more or less all the time.

There was one narrow sandy road which leaded into the forest. New signs were nice, clearly made for children, too.

Met several other lazy walkers plus numerous joggers. Someone even tried husky dog ride, having two bicycles tied together as a sledge on wheels. Boy, we have many type of hobbies nowadays.

It was quite dark in the forest. Taking photos handheld was not very promising.

Everything in the forest looked so green. Small artificially excavated creeks were full of water.

Walked few km's, catching photos every now and then.

Green forest is a quite relaxing place. Obviously green colour does something good mentally though.

A walked route, about 7km (view in a larger map):

Some photos

Twins

Getting wet

The main highway

New moss

Ferns still well alive

Rubber boots were a good choice

Black Alder forest

Birch forest

A speedy cyclist

Tall trees

Layers of colours

Something fenced

There's a fly

Tough life for an oak tree

Lots of water

Artificially burnt

Helsinki airport is nearby. Horrible noise!

A slow motion

There used to be a forest there

Some paths were really nice