The trees in the wetland park

The trees in the wetland park are dominated by hardwoods: birch, alder and aspen grow most abundantly. There is also a lot of willow growth in the area.

Raita is our largest willow species and it can grow up to ten meters. The leaves are gray and downy underneath. The stripe blooms in the spring before it bursts into leaf. The flowers, or willow catkins, are large and upright, and the food they provide is important for the awakening bumblebees. Other willow species in the area are ground willow and glossy willow.

Tarttuselja is a fast-growing 2-4 meter shrub classified as an established non-native species, the leaves of which are somewhat reminiscent of native aspen. In early spring, it is easily distinguished from other plants thanks to its beautiful burgundy leaves and yellow-green flowers. Terttuselja is a common cultivated weed that thrives in nitrogen-rich growing places.

Rotting wood

Dead tree trunks are left on the ground or standing up, as they are valuable for biodiversity. There are species that depend on decaying trees in almost all groups of organisms, for example, 15-centimeter-thick thickets are good nesting trees for the ladybird. Decayed trees provide food for woodpeckers, and habitats for snakes, beetles and lichen species that live on the trunk as cover crops. The species of fungi and insects that live on rotting wood change as the decay progresses.