Riisa brings together a named nature trail, a bog and a landscape where flooding can reach vast proportions. Riisa Bog covers 830 hectares; the floodplain can extend to as much as 175 square kilometres. These two figures refer to different areas: the bog, on the one hand, and the potential extent of the floodplain, on the other. This provides a way to understand Riisa through specific natural features.

About the Riisa Nature Trail

The Riisa Nature Trail is in the village of Riisa, in Tori Parish, Pärnu County, at kilometre 32 of the Kõpu–Jõesuu road. The location details lead from the village to the parish and then to the county; the road kilometre provides a specific reference point along the road. This pinpoints the destination geographically without conflating the village, parish and region. For planning purposes, the Riisa Nature Trail is therefore located in the village of Riisa.

You can also play the interactive game “Sookolli seiklused Riisa rabas” on the Riisa Nature Trail. This gives the trail a specific playful activity in addition to its connection with the bog landscape. If you choose to visit the trail, you can include the game as a distinct part of this experience; its name keeps the connection to Riisa Bog clear.

The Bog and Flooding in Perspective

Riisa Bog formed as mineral soil became waterlogged. Its formation and area describe different aspects: 830 hectares is the area of the bog, while the waterlogging of mineral soil describes how it formed. In another unit of area, 830 hectares is equivalent to 8.3 square kilometres. This conversion helps put the bog’s area in perspective alongside the possible flood measurements.

The Riisa floodplain can extend to as much as 175 km² and reach a width of up to 8 kilometres. Both figures are upper limits and describe possible dimensions, not an area that remains constant. The width adds a second perspective to the area measurement: it indicates a possible extent in kilometres, while the square kilometres describe the area.

The location where floodwater reaches its highest level is also important for understanding the area: near the village of Riisa, recurring floodwater reaches its peak. This helps make sense of the landscape both through its possible area measurements and its specific connection to the village. For comparison, 175 km² is about 21 times the area of the 8.3 km² bog. The bog and floodplain therefore represent different scales.

Nature Trail or Canoe Rental

There are different options when choosing an activity. The bog landscape and interactive game are specific features of the Riisa Nature Trail. Canoes are available for rent at Soomaa Holiday Village in Riisa. If you would like to include canoe rental in your travel plans, check availability before your trip. This lets you weigh up the nature trail and its playful activity against canoe rental as a different kind of offering.

Discover more destinations: Jõesuu

Go to the main travel overview: Tori.