Verla Groundwood and Board Mill

Brief synthesis Verla Groundwood and Board Mill, located in the northern part of the Kymi River Valley in southeast Finland, consists of the Mill, the associated residential area and the power plants. The mill buildings and the workers' houses mostly date from the 1890s and from the beginning of the 20th century. The property is a very well preserved example of a forest industry settlement of the late 19th century. Similar communities were established in coniferous forest zones in northern Europe and in North America, where wood as a raw material and water as a source of energy were easily at hand. The first groundwood mill in Verla was founded in 1872 and the board mill began operations ten years later. The existing buildings, which are architecturally harmonious, date back to the turn of the 20th century. The mill itself ceased to operate in 1964, and all the machines and items related to production were left in the mill as they were when the production ceased. The buildings and the machines were carefully conserved and turned into a museum, and the Verla Mill Museum was officially opened in 1972. The property itself consists of approximately 50 buildings in an area of 23 ha. The Verlankoski Rapids separate the production area from the residential area. On the rapids, there are three water power plants from three different decades, the newest one dating from the 1990s. The mill owner’s residence and a park from the late 19th century dominate the village. The sheer rock face above the rapids bears a prehistoric rock painting, representing fishing and hunting. Criterion (iv): The Verla Groundwood and Board Mill and its associated habitation are an outstanding and remarkably well preserved example of the small-scale rural industrial settlement associated with pulp, paper, and board production that flourished in northern Europe and North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries, of which only a handful survives to the present day. Integrity The Verla Groundwood and Board Mill with its machinery, the Verlankoski Rapids and power plants, the associated residential area and installations form a visually and functionally intact complex. The property includes all the built elements associated with production, habitation and leisure in the mill village, as well as the rapids, the surrounding forests, and the prehistoric rock painting. Authenticity The Verla Groundwood and Board Mill and its associated buildings, equipment, installations and landscape have remained almost intact. The fact that the machinery needed for the production of groundwood pulp and board has remained at its original place adds to the authenticity. The buildings and the installations have preserved their characteristic features with regard to the materials, construction methods and architecture. Furthermore, the authenticity of Verla is reinforced by the well-preserved wooded landscape. Protection and management requirements Verla is protected according to national legislation. UPM-Kymmene Corporation, the principal landowner, is responsible for the administration of the site and for the Management Board of Verla, which includes the authorities and owners of the site. The Board controls and instructs the operations involving restoration and maintenance according to the Management Plan. The groundwood and board mill is surrounded by a forested area, which is located in the buffer zone of the property. Landscape and environment values are taken into consideration when forestry work is done. The flow of water in the power plant canal, adjacent to the board mill, has threatened the conservation and safety of the mill building, as water from the canal was leaking into the mill. To solve this problem, a new power plant canal, which separates the water from the building, was opened in January 2014. Verla Groundwood and Board Mill is located in a rural area and is closed during the winter. Due to its remote location, fire and other accidents are considered potential threats to the property. Because of this, the most central parts of the property are protected by automatic fire alarms and fire extinguishing systems.