The total area of the national park is 39,884 ha, of which 51% are bogs, 5% are floodplain grassland, 0.5% is cultivated farmland and the rest is different forests.
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The Soomaa National Park protects the bogs, floodplains, forests, habitats of protected species and cultural heritage of the southwestern part of interim Estonia. The largely flat terrain of the national park that differs only in the south is the former bottom of the lake formed from the continental shelf between the glacier and the Sakala Upland.
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Kuresoo Bog
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The typical landscape feature of the national park is bog plains, separated by rivers flowing in their natural bed. The local natural phenomenon of Soomaa is floods that are known as the fifth season of Soomaa and can cover 17,500 hectares.
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The Soomaa National Park visitor centre is situated in the heart of Soomaa – in Tõramaa
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There are various hiking and study trails at the national park.
Several tourism service providers, a few accommodation providers within the park, etc.
Most common services – canoeing, bog shoeing, hiking.
Visitor center is managed by the State Forest Management Centre.
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Besides nature protection, the purpose of the national park is to preserve local cultural heritage and the traditional lifestyle as well. The symbol of Soomaa is log-boat, carved out of a single treetrunk that is considered the oldest watercraft in Estonia.
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The settlement and cultural traditions of Soomaa have been shaped by the local environment. Due to an extensive river network, human settlements have been present since days of old.
Currently the Soomaa National Park area has three main villages: Sandra, Tipu and Riisa with altogether 77 people living in those villages (as of the year 2020), so Soomaa is extremely sparsely inhabited.
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The conservation goal of the Soomaa National Park is the protection of the nature, cultural heritage, protected species, wildlife habitats and natural flora and fauna of the forests, bogs and floodplains of this part of Estonia.
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Besides differenet regulations the cultural heritage is being protected by various educative activities provided for the locals.
The Soomaa cooperation board gathers 2-4 times a year. It consists of local people, representatives of different organisations operating in the Soomaa area, local government officials, etc.
The Green Riverland Partnership is part of the Soomaa cooperation board.
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Various courses, lectures, events and other activities organised yearly.