Lake Päijänne as Unesco´s biosphere reserve candidate

Finland’s third biosphere reserve is under preparation in the Lake Päijänne area. The aim is to create a new biosphere reserve around the lake in the next few years, alongside the existing biosphere reserves of the Archipelago Sea and North Karelia in Finland. Lake Päijänne’s application to join Unesco’s Man and Biosphere Programme will be submitted in autumn 2023.  

Previous studies have shown Lake Päijänne has excellent potential to meet Unesco’s criteria for biosphere reserves. The region has a wide range of strengths, including diverse natural habitats, a rich cultural heritage, a successful history of water conservation and an active community of stakeholders committed to sustainable development. The aim is that the biosphere reserve will in future cover the entire lake Päijänne basin and the municipalities in its catchment area. The biosphere reserve can also be launched on a more limited geographical scale, as it can be extended at a later stage. 

The planned biosphere reserve is intended to serve as a cooperation platform for the sustainable development of Lake Päijänne. In order to achieve the development objectives determined by the stakeholders, funding can be sought for various types of research and development projects. The activities can contribute to the achievement of a wide range of sustainability objectives, whether they concern economic activities, communities or natural and cultural environments.  

The Lake Päijänne biosphere reserve preparation project has been funded by the Regional Council of Central Finland, the City of Jyväskylä and the municipalities of Muurame, Joutsa and Toivakka. The project is coordinated by the University of Jyväskylä’s School of Resource Wisdom (JYU.Wisdom).