National parks and other nature reserves are primarily established to conserve nature. We should thus always respect nature when out and about.
- Always keep your pets on a leash when taking them outdoors.
- When your pet is running loose, it will follow its instincts and may harm wild animals hiding in the vegetation.
- In spring and early summer, flightless young birds are also at risk.
- If you leave marked trails, be careful not to trample on vulnerable vegetation.
- Take photographs responsibly. Do not harm nature in order to get better pictures.
- Stay at a respectful distance from animals and their nests.
- If you intentionally damage protected animals or plants, you risk the penalty laid down in the law.
- Do not feed animals.
- Behave responsibly on the social media and on the Web. Make sure that the GPS trails and social media content you share comply with the rules of protected areas.
- You can save GPS trails for your personal use, but if you publish them on track services (including Gpsies.com or Strava), make sure they remain on permitted routes. Official trails can always be found on the Nationalparks.fi service.
- Think about what you publish on the social media. Use your magnificent nature photos to encourage others to follow the Outdoor etiquette. A picture of a dog running loose in a national park, for example, gives other hikers a wrong impression of what is permitted in the national parks.
- Respect other hikers and do not photograph them without their permission.
- When flying drones in nature reserve areas, always take the following into consideration:
- Flying drones is prohibited in restricted areas as well as key bird nesting areas (such as islands, skerries and sea bays, where bird populations nest) and key rest stops.
- Because disturbing vertebrates in nature reserve areas is prohibited, the flying of drones may also be prohibited in other areas, usually on a discretionary, case-by-case basis.
- National parks and other nature reserve areas are also important recreational areas for humans, who seek the peace and tranquility of nature, among other things. In these types of areas, flying drones is not generally advisable and may even be prohibited due to the disturbance they cause to other visitors.
- If a drone is being used to record images or for professional purposes, it is subject to other restrictions in addition to those mentioned above.
- The above-mentioned information also applies to other unmanned aerial vehicles (RC model aircraft, etc.). Aircraft operators are responsible for learning about regional restrictions and regulations, which can be found at, for example, droneinfo.fi.
- Building rock piles is harmful to nature. Do not knock down the piles, either, as some of them may be valuable ancient monuments.
- Visit here to learn about Everyman's Rights and their restrictions.