Expanding Tiilikkajärvi national park
Act on the expansion of Tiilikkajärvi national park
Tiilikkajärvi National Park will be expanded in the municipality of Rautavaara by approximately 2,441 hectares of state-owned land. National park conservation regulations will take effect in the area, improving nature conservation and outdoor recreation opportunities.
- Status
- Passed with amendments
- Submitted
- 17 Nov 2022
- Latest event
- 20 Feb 2023
- Votes
- 1
- Speeches
- 27
- Confirmed
- 23 Mar 2023
- Statute
- 519/2023
- Source
- eduskunta.fi ↗
What is proposed
Approximately 2,441 hectares of state-owned areas from the Tiilikka, Pumpulikirkko, Löytynsuo–Maamonsuo and Haravalehto Natura 2000 areas and north of Lake Ylä-Keyritty will be incorporated into Tiilikkajärvi National Park.
What it means
The expansion will combine valuable mire and forest areas into a protected entity and promote nature tourism in the region. Forestry use will cease on the incorporated areas (resulting in an annual revenue loss of approximately 150,000 euros for the state) and hunting will end, with certain exceptions such as elk driving. Metsähallitus (the state forest enterprise) will incur costs of approximately 600,000 euros from the expansion and trail development. The act will enter into force on 1 June 2023.
How Parliament voted
The act ultimately passed without a vote: no MP proposed rejecting it in the final reading. The only vote concerned a detail of the act.
Lausumaehdotus, mietintö / Petri Huru
Yes won by 98–61.
The Christian Democrats voted with the government. 40 MPs were absent. Minutes ↗
Filled dot = yes, ring = no, grey = absent. The seating plan at the time of this vote is not archived, so MPs are grouped by party in indicative seats.
A passed act does not enter into force immediately: the President of the Republic confirms it, and it enters into force on the date set in the act. This act was confirmed on 23 Mar 2023.
Debate in the chamber
What was argued and where each group stood, followed by MPs' speeches verbatim from the parliamentary record. Speeches are shown in their original language.
27 speeches · 3 debates
Key points of the debate
Parliament discussed expanding Tiilikkajärvi National Park on state-owned land to promote biodiversity and outdoor recreation. The objectives of the proposal and the strong local support for the project were praised across party lines. However, the debate drew substantial attention to the reduction in hunting opportunities and whether maintenance funding for national parks is sufficient.
- Does expanding the national park unnecessarily restrict hunting opportunities?
- Are the resources of Metsähallitus (the state forest enterprise) sufficient to maintain infrastructure across the national park network?
- Do protected areas increase game populations and consequently traffic accidents?
- Social DemocratsIn favour with reservations
When expanding protected areas, a broader overall assessment of drawbacks should be conducted, as nature reserves may increase ungulate populations and lead to more accidents.
”Oma huoleni liittyy myöskin siihen, että semmoista hyvää kokonaisarviota ei tehdä silloin, kun luonnonsuojelualueita laajennetaan.”
— Hussein al-Taee - Centre PartyIn favour with reservations
The group considers the expansion welcome because of local acceptance, but stresses safeguarding hunting and keeping conservation proportionate so that economic activity is not endangered.
”Ja tässä Tiilikkajärven kansallispuiston laajentamisessakin on hyvää se, että tämä aloite on lähtenyt sieltä paikallisesta kunnasta ja asukkailta ennen kaikkea.”
— Ari Torniainen - GreensIn favour
Expanding the national park promotes biodiversity conservation, strengthens the regional economy and offers people sustainable recreation opportunities.
”Esityksen tavoitteena on edistää luonnon monimuotoisuuden suojelua toteuttamalla jo luonnonsuojeluun varattujen alueiden suojelu kansallispuistona sekä saattamalla noin 1 300 hehtaaria nykyään metsätalouskäytössä olevia alueita suojelun piiriin.”
— Maria Ohisalo - Left AllianceIn favour
National parks are important for maintaining biodiversity, but local residents' wishes to enable hunting must be taken into account.
”Kysymys on luonnon monimuotoisuuden ylläpitämisestä näissä kansallispuistoissa.”
— Jari Myllykoski - National Coalition PartyIn favour with reservations
The project possesses great natural values, but hunting restrictions and concern over maintenance resources for infrastructure at Metsähallitus (the state forest enterprise) raise doubts.
”Näyttää siltä, että pala palalta murennetaan tätä ikiaikaista oikeutta metsästää.”
— Timo Heinonen - Finns PartyIn favour with reservations
The expansion is seen as good as such for local development, but weakening hunting rights and the sufficiency of maintenance funds are heavily criticised.
”Nyt tämän kansallispuistohankkeen laajentamisen myötä ollaan kuitenkin metsästysoikeutta merkittävästi rajaamassa.”
— Petri Huru
This digest was generated by AI from 27 speeches 13 Sep 2026. Group positions are read from the speeches, not from votes; quotations were checked verbatim against the record.
Keskustelu päättyi. Asia lähetettiin ympäristövaliokuntaan.
Yleiskeskustelu päättyi. Eduskunta hyväksyi hallituksen esitykseen HE 308/2022 vp sisältyvän lakiehdotuksen sisällön mietinnön mukaisena. Lakiehdotuksen ensimmäinen käsittely päättyi.
Stages of consideration
The bill's path from the preliminary debate to the decision, as recorded by Parliament.
- 17 Nov 2022Eduskuntakäsittelyn vireilletulo · Ympäristöministeriö
- 24 Nov 2022Lähetekeskustelu · Täysistunto
- 3 Feb 2023Valiokunnan mietintö tai lausunto · ympäristövaliokunta
- 7 Feb 2023Ensimmäinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 15 Feb 2023Toinen käsittely · Täysistunto
- 16 Feb 2023Eduskunnan vastaus ja kirjelmä
Decisions by law proposal1
- 1Laki Tiilikkajärven kansallispuiston laajentamisestaHyväksytty muutettuna · 519/2023 · 23 Mar 2023
Proposed law text
The law proposals in the bill as the Government presented them. The final act may differ after committee consideration.
The law text is shown in Finnish or Swedish from Parliament's official documents; it is not translated into English.
Laki Tiilikkajärven kansallispuiston laajentamisesta
Eduskunnan päätöksen mukaisesti säädetään:
1 §Kansallispuiston rajaus
Eräiden valtion omistamien alueiden muodostamisesta kansallispuistoiksi ja luonnonpuistoiksi annetulla lailla (674/1981) perustettuun Tiilikkajärven kansallispuistoon liitetään noin 2441 hehtaaria valtion omistamia alueita Rautavaaran kunnassa.
Liitettävät alueet on merkitty liitteessä olevaan karttaan.
2 §Voimaantulo
Tämä laki tulee voimaan päivänä kuuta 20 .
Tällä lailla kumotaan:
1) eräiden valtion omistamien alueiden muodostamisesta soidensuojelualueiksi annetun asetuksen (801/1985) 1 §:n 14 kohta;
2) vanhojen metsien suojelusta annetun asetuksen (1115/1993) 2 §:n 1 momentin 56 kohta.
Main content of the bill (official)
The summary and title were produced with AI on 2 Sep 2026. They are not official documents – check the details in the original bill. The title and summaries are machine translations of the Finnish AI summaries. Speeches and quotations are always shown in their original language.