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A constantly changing landscape

The phenomenon of land uplift has always had significant influence on the interaction between the sea and the land in Kokkola. Its effects can be seen at the park’s nature sites in many ways. The flads and gloes, ancient cobble fields, woodlands and shorelines of the high coast show signs of a constant state of flux. The receding sea exposes new land that has not been dry since the last ice age. New islands, shallows and rocky reefs are constantly emerging. Islands become capes, and boat routes become too shallow to navigate. Land uplift continues to be rapid enough for landscape changes to be detectable in the space of one human life.

Some of the sea and shore areas of the park are Natura 2000 sites. Land uplift creates diverse habitats in the coastal area, including valuable bird sites on the islands of the outer archipelago. The rocky coast with its dense island network creates a unique submerged habitat for aquatic life. Kokkola’s coastal area provides nesting sites for various seabird species, and it is one of the most important nesting sites of the Caspian tern in Finland.