The Finnish Nature exhibition offers you a fascinating journey through Finland from the southern coast to the northern fells. On this guided tour you’ll be able to explore the Finnish nature through four seasons as well as hear some interesting details of Finnish culture and mentality. Explore Finland in ½ hour at the Natural History Museum, on Tue–Thu at 1.30 pm. Free guided tour available during the summer season (2.6.–6.8.).
The creation of the Vuoksi River and the subsequent rapid decrease in the water level of Lake Saimaa approximately 6,000 years ago revealed thousands of square kilometres of new, fertile land in eastern Finland. A multidisciplinary research project organised by University of Helsinki researchers has studied the role that the decrease in water levels has played in the interaction between nature and humans. After dramatic shifts in the waterways, human life in the area underwent significant changes and gave rise to a new, innovative culture. This stemmed from an increase in the elk population, which flourished on the pioneer flora growing on the newly emerged land. Later, the culture regressed as the ecosystem in the area shifted towards old-growth spruce-dominated forests which could not maintain the large elk population.
Current instructions on retaining a few trees in clear-cut areas do not go far enough to protect the breeding or resting habitat of the flying squirrel. A recent Finnish study shows that flying squirrels abandon almost always their breeding site or resting place after clear-cutting of the forest around it.
Flood basalt research at the Geological Museum
A four-year research project MARZ (Magmatism in the Africa-Antarctica Rift Zone), funded by the Academy of Finland, was launched at the Geological museum in September 2011.
Identification keys: all Eucnemidae genera and larvae
Third Finnish Breeding Bird Atlas (2006-2010) results published
New book about Elachistine moths (Csiro Publishing)
Type specimens of lichens and vascular plants (JSTOR)
Molecular systematics and taxonomy of hoverflies (Diptera, Syrphidae) and related groups
Green roofs in urban areas
Satellite-tracked birds of prey
Track the routes of Honey Buzzards, White-tailed sea-eagles and Ospreys.
Birds on map
The Third Finnish Breeding Bird Atlas survey was conducted in 2006–2010. The first two atlases were carried out in 1974–79 and 1986–1989. The aim of the third atlas was to examine present distributions of birds and compare them with those published in the previous atlases. The atlas data can be utilized together with other long-term bird monitoring and other environmental data to investigate changes in biodiversity.