The future Pitkärivi nature reserve is located in the outer archipelago of Helsinki, east of Santahamina and southeast of Villinki. The site covers an area of 2.79 hectares.
The western part of the area is a flat rock and rocky area rising to a maximum height of three metres above sea level. Mosaic-like and colourful vegetation flourishes in the middle of the area. The eastern part rises to eight metres and forms a rocky mound sheltering the vegetation from the sea. In the sheltered rocky mounds of the high cliffs in the eastern part of the site, rocky meadow vegetation and a small stand of forest grow in depressions in the rock and there are endangered rock pools.
Pitkärivi is one of Uusimaa's regionally important nesting areas and one of Helsinki's important bird areas. It is also one of the valuable flora and fauna sites. The purpose of the protection of Pitkärivi is to safeguard the biodiversity of the meadow and its birdlife.
The small island of Huomenlahja, 0.89 hectares in size, is located in Vuosaari, southwest of Skatanniemi, about 300 metres from the mainland. The area is a steep-edged north-south facing rocky outcrop.
The geological feature of the island is the volcanic bedrock, which in places is, among other things, pillow lava. The pillow lava was formed around 1,900 million years ago by hot basaltic lava (700–1,200 °C) flowing into cold seawater. Besides Huomenlahja, the only other sites in Helsinki where pillow lava occurs are the southern tip of Harakka island, Korkeasaari island and Uutela in Vuosaari.
The natural values of Huomenlahja are mainly geological, but as an island with predominantly open rocky and small forested terrain, it also provides good nesting and resting places for birds. Eider and goosander have found to be nesting on the island, as well as abundant numbers of common gulls and herring gulls. The flora of the depressions in the rocky outcrops is representative of rocky meadows, wet paludifying areas and dry heaths. In the southern part of the island there are two erratic granite boulders and a rock pool that has been designated near-threatened.
No recreational use will be directed to Pitkärivivi or Huomenlahja, as the rocks and cracks can make walking dangerous.
The Environment and Permits Sub-committee of the Urban Environment Committee will discuss the protection proposals in its meeting on 4 December. Based on the proposal of the Sub-committee, the City Board will then decide on the submission of an application for the establishment of the nature reserve to the State Nature Conservation Authority.
