Salpausselkä Geopark is part of UNESCO’s global network of geologically significant areas. As of spring 2026, the network includes 241 areas in 51 countries. There are five geoparks in Finland. Salpausselkä Geopark was first designated as a UNESCO site in 2022. UNESCO geoparks are re-evaluated every four years.
International evaluators visited the area in summer 2025 and assessed, among other things, its key natural and cultural sites, educational activities, partner companies, and guide services.
The geopark spans six municipalities in the Päijät-Häme region: Lahti, Hollola, Heinola, Asikkala, Sysmä, and Padasjoki. It stretches from the First Salpausselkä ridge to the southern parts of Lake Päijänne.
Development work continues
As a UNESCO site, Salpausselkä Geopark will continue promoting sustainable regional development, safeguarding natural and cultural heritage, and strengthening cooperation in areas such as education, tourism, and international networks.
– The development work of Salpausselkä Geopark, based on broad cooperation and networking, will continue in line with UNESCO’s recommendations and the municipalities’ own development goals. It is important to further strengthen the international visibility of the area, and Lahti and the other municipalities play a key role in this, says Johanna Särkijärvi, Director of Economic Development Services for the City of Lahti.
One of the key priorities in the coming years is developing international tourism through national-level cooperation.
The geopark is managed in cooperation with municipalities by the Salpausselkä Geopark unit, which operates within Lahti Region Ltd, the regional tourism organization.
– Operating as a UNESCO site is made possible by the involvement of numerous actors in the region, from day care centres and educational institutions to tourism companies,
says Executive Director Kati Kangas, thanking all partners and project funders.
Salpausselkä Geopark (VisitLahti)