Flora

The territory is of extreme interest because of the abundance of rare minerals: marbles and other volcanic rocks. The favourable microclimate promote an abundance of vegetation: in the spruce-dominant groves growing on the southern slopes you can encounter wonderful orchids such as Lady's-slipper, Fairly slipper and Red baneberry. The slopes of Mount Niskavaara and Mount Munavaara have magnificent forest areas. On the Ruskeakallio rocks you can find Baby's breath and Wall-rue spleenwort. Most of the forest in the park is completely untouched.

Fauna

The masters of these forests are the Brown Bear, Wild Reindeer, and Wolverine. Altogether, 36 mammal species inhabit this area: elk, lynx, hare, lemming, and others. In wintertime, near the rivers Otter can be found, as well as wolftracks. Many rare bird species nest in the national park. Golden eagle can be seen hovering over its domains. Black-throated diver finds refuge on the large lakes, and Red-throated diver nests on small marshy lakes. Red-flanked bluetail, common for eastern taiga, sings in dense spruce forests, and Little bunting on the fringes of pine mires. Travellers can come across the great grey owl.The Grayling population is high in the park's rivers. Lake Paanajärvi is inhabited by relic crayfish left from the time when after glacier's retreat it was a bay of the White Sea.

Flagship species: Europian diver, White taled eagle, Wild reindeer, Wolverine, Otter, Brown Bear, wolf

Paanajärvi National Park was certified in 2005. The park proved excellence in wilderness protection and showed great achievements in the below fields.*


Habitat management
• PAN Parks Wilderness area was created (30 000 hectares)

Synergy between conservation of natural values and sustainable tourism
• process of forming local stakeholder group and developing visitor management plan are underway
• Sustainable Tourism Development Strategy was finalised
• concept of visitor management, information system and safety strategy for visitors were developed and implemented
• snowmobile and fishing pressure were reduced
• new, more appropriate and visible signs and information about fishing was prepared
• use of Timber Extraction Road used by the Pyaozerski Timber Company will not be used for the foreseeable future
• Transport Strategy is under development
• concise Accommodation Strategy relating specifically to Paanajärvi NP area was produced
• new cable barriers and new signs at Kivakkakoski rapids were installed
• part of old Finnish farm Arola was restored on the shore of Paanajärvi lake
• signs directing to the visitors’ centre were erected in Pajozerski town
• marketing plan was prepared
• local PAN Parks quality standard was developed

*It is not easy to separate activities of regular park management and activities accomplished because of PAN Parks requirements. The list of the above activities includes mostly activities accomplished as a result of the PAN Parks process.