Lahemaa National Park
| Lahemaa National Park | |||
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| Location: | Estonia | ||
| Next city: | Tapa | ||
| Surface: | 725 km² | ||
| Founding: | 1971 | ||
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The Lahemaa National Park ( Estonian Lahemaa rahvuspark ) is located in northern Estonia , about 70 kilometers east of the capital Tallinn . It extends over an area of 72,500 hectares (including 25,090 hectares of lake area).
The park was established in 1971 as the first national park in the Soviet Union to preserve the North Estonian landscape, the local ecosystem and biodiversity as “Estonian heritage”. In the park some endangered species such as live fish eagles , golden eagles , sea eagles , red grouse , black stork and mink . The park is also home to one of the last populations of freshwater pearl mussels ( Margaritifera margaritifera ) in the Baltic States. Around 150 elk , lynx and beaver live in the national park, and they find their territory in the numerous streams and small lakes.
The central administration of the park is located in an outbuilding of the former estate of the von der Pahlen family in Palmse . There a natural history museum illustrates the topography, history and biodiversity of the region.
tourism
The Lahemaa National Park is divided into different protection zones, those that are accessible all year round on paths or roads for hikers, cyclists and motorists, those that are closed seasonally (especially in spring when the waterfowl breeds), and finally into total reserves , which People are not allowed to enter and in which nature is left to itself. In recent years, increased efforts have been made to make the area more attractive for green tourism. Hotels and restaurants opened on the former historic estates Palmse , Sagadi and Vihula , which had been restored since the 1980s , after Estonian independence was achieved. New holiday quarters were created in the coastal towns.
Web links
- Administration of the Lahemaa National Park (Estonian, English)
