Selisoo flood-prone trail gets delayed 60-metre detour

A new 60-metre boardwalk section at Selisoo in Alutaguse National Park will be completed in the third week of September, six months later than planned, ERR reported. The new section is intended to let hikers cross the nature trail with dry feet year-round.

Part of the trail was unexpectedly left under water during high water after restoration work to raise water levels in the Selisoo bog. The work, carried out by the State Forest Management Centre two years ago, aimed to stop water from flowing out of the bog. The boardwalk near Suurlaugas was also renovated.

“We did not expect it to start going under water there or for the water level to rise,” said Ants Animägi, an RMK nature conservation specialist. “The boardwalk was renovated into a beautiful, new, bright boardwalk, but unexpectedly there was water on it.”

RMK had hoped to build the new, more hiker-friendly section in spring, but updating the project and obtaining approvals from the Environmental Board and the local government took longer than expected. The local government also required a building permit.

Reaching the construction site, located several kilometres from the car park, has been difficult for workers. Andrei Tarnovski, manager and carpenter at the construction company Tarnocon, said moving materials through the bog required carefully manoeuvring a cart. On some occasions, loads overturned.

The old section of boardwalk will remain beside the new one along the Suurlaugas shore. Animägi said RMK had considered moving the old boardwalk, but determined that building an additional section would be cheaper.