Prohibition of motorized vehicles at Leipijärvi

The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom has imposed a ban on motor-powered watercraft for the whole of Leipijärvi. The ban does not apply to electric motor-powered watercraft with a power class under 2 kW. The proposal for the ban was made by the Leipijärvi Protection Association (Leipijärven suojeluyhdistys ry) and the decision entered into force on December 19, 2025. The prohibited and restricted area was marked on the ground by the municipality in November 2025.

According to section 101, subsection 1 of the Water Traffic Act, the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency may prohibit movement by watercraft for a fixed period or indefinitely on a specified water area or restrict it, if the prohibition or restriction is considered necessary to protect traffic, the environment, fishing or another livelihood, or for the sake of the public recreational use of nature or another public interest.

According to the proposal, Leipijärvi is small (at most just over one kilometer long) and a lake in need of protection due to its natural values. Motor-powered watercraft cause significant harm to the lake’s nature and its peaceful recreational use. The Leipijärvi Protection Association has carried out continuous conservation work to improve the lake’s ecological condition for decades. Similar restrictions have also been imposed on comparable water areas near Leipijärvi. At Valajärvi, located less than two kilometers north of Leipijärvi, a ban on using motor power for water traffic is in force. Less than two kilometers south of Leipijärvi, Kesijärvi also has a 10 km/h speed limit in force.

Small electric motor-powered watercraft do not burden nature in the same way as larger combustion-engine watercraft. To ensure the decision is consistent with Traficom’s previous decisions in similar cases, the ban to be imposed does not apply to electric motor-powered watercraft with an output of less than 2 kW.