Forestry field station in Hyytiälä

The Hyytiälä Forestry Station is a University of Helsinki research facility located in a mixed-coniferous forest with scattered lakes and wetlands in the background. The grounds include laboratory buildings, accommodation spaces, and networks of monitoring equipment spread across experimental forest plots.

The University of Helsinki established the station in 1910 as a training ground for forestry students and scientific inquiry. The arrival of the SMEAR II monitoring project in 1995 transformed it into a major international research center for ecosystem observation.

The station serves as a hub where scientists from different countries gather to study how forests and the atmosphere interact. Visitors can observe how research teams work together on long-term observation projects that help understand climate and ecosystems.

Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and bring rain gear since exploring the site involves walking through forest paths that can be damp. Guided tours or pre-arranged visits help you understand the measurement equipment and see how ongoing research projects work.

The site operates 250 different forest plots with varying tree compositions as natural laboratories for studying how forests and the atmosphere exchange chemicals and energy. This diversity allows researchers to see how different woodland types respond to changing climate conditions.

Location: Juupajoki

GPS coordinates: 61.84694,24.28423

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:41