Metsähallitus and the municipality of Lope are trying to restore order to the popular lake by closing forest roads with bollards and erecting signs prohibiting fires in places other than official campfire sites.
The beaches and forest paths of the exceptionally clear water Iso-Melkutti have been hard-wearing for the third summer already. The nature site is located in Kanta-Hämee in Lope.
The movement of large masses of the public has also brought unpleasant mild phenomena.
– They are concerned that the area is a place that has become outdated in some places, when cars are driven along the forest path very close to the lake.
Driving wildly is limited by closing the gates
With the arrival of autumn, Metsähallitus, which owns the land, and the municipality of Lope, which manages the area, have restored discipline by closing the forest roads in the area with bollards and putting up signs that prohibit lighting fires anywhere other than official campfire sites. When you light fires with pine cloth, it hurts.
– Every year, illegal campfire sites are removed in Melkutti, Satu Suomalainen says.
Metsähallitus’ Jere Ekosaari says he sees illegal campfire sites online.
– When you browse around a bit, you can easily recognize those wild campfire sites. People take pictures of them and post them.
Corona increased the popularity of Iso-Melkutti
The Melkuttimi area as a whole belongs to the Natura 2000 program and the beach and ridge protection programs.
The first corona summer was almost chaos in Iso-Melkuttim. Almost 30,000 hikers crowded the area and the small parking lot was not enough for anything.
In 2021, the number of spectators was around 25,000, but estimating the number of people was complicated by the fact that people wandered past the official measuring point.
Due to the influx of people, the parking area along Taulutie was quickly expanded, but even that is not always enough.
– Hikers should leave their cars and other motor vehicles there and then move on foot along our route, physical activity instructor Satu Suomalainen emphasizes.
This summer, the number of visitors has dropped to less than 20,000.
– It can be seen on Lope’s hiking trails, so that they are not quite as full as before. Of course, there are always enough people at the rest stops, says Suomalainen.
For a long time, Iso-Melkutin was a little secret that divers have known for a long time. When the pandemic increased the movement of Finns in their home country, the popularity of nature destinations increased dramatically.
Iso-Melkutti’s visibility was increased by articles in camping magazines and camping blogs. This summer, Helsingin Sanomat also listed the clear-water Melkutti lakes among the nobility in their extensive article.
Pictures from the shores of the lake appear on social media with a continuous feed. Instagram alone brings up 1,500 hits with subject tags
_You can discuss the topic until Thursday 1 September 2022 at 11 pm._