Hailuoto has numerous protected Natura-2000 districts. The nature conservation area safeguards the preservation of the national landscape and cultural heritage. Sensitive habitats heel slowly which has to be considered when trekking in these areas. Motor vehicles are not allowed there.
Härkinneva-Hanhisjärvensuo
Härkinneva-Hanhisjärvensuo is the vastest bog area in Hailuoto. The area is located on the rising shoreline and the fact that the bog is young, makes it an even more interesting site. The bog forms an attractive landscape with its low twisted pines and its integrity, even if the vegetation is scarce and treeless bog limited.
Ojakylänlahti and Kengänkari
Ojakylänlahti is a calm bay on the east side of Hailuoto. Kaaranselkä Headland reaches far to Ojakylänlahti and separates Lahdenperä from Ojakylänlahti. There are several seashore meadow type zones and batches.
Kengänkari is a vast area, totalling approximately two hectares east of the main island. Kengänkari island is located east of Ulkokarvo village, off Kengännenä Headland in the south side of Ojakylänlahti.
Isomatala-Maasyvänlahti
There are typical sandbanks in the Isomatala-Maasyvänlahti area with muddy depressions between the banks. Most of the area consists of open land i.e. meadows, reeds, sandbanks and shallow waters. There are treeless little islets and shoals. Practically next to Isomatala is the culturally and historically valuable Rautaletto fishing village. From the seashore meadows inland, there are batches of shore groves. The most extensive meadow in the area is the so-called Tömppä meadow which is actually one of the vastest around the Bothnian Bay. It is approximately one kilometre one way and about 800 metres the other.
Isomatala-Maasyvänlahti area is an important wetland and bird district on the international scale and the second most valuable bird reservoir after Liminganlahti in Finland. About 99% of puccinellia, salt grass, grows in the area.
Kirkkosalmi
Due to post-glacial rebound, Kirkkosalmi is an old bay cut off from the sea. The area is rich shoreline vegetation zones from aquatic plants to shoreline forests and open meadows.
The area between Itänenä and Pöllännokka has typical low-growth shore meadows which gradually turn into bushes and then to woodland. Pöllännokka has a sandy beach. Viikanlahti shores host reed beds and seashore meadows. The area hosts two national landscapes.
North shore
The northern part of Hailuoto is the end point of an extensive esker formation by the sea. Narrow, long wetland type of formations lie between dunes and sandbanks. The forests in the area are barren pine woods with lichens, lingonberries and crowberries. On the north shore, there are tens of ponds, resulting from the post-glacial rebound cutting them off from the sea.
Potinlahti and Pökönnokka lie in the north-east area of the island. Potinlahti is a shallow bay surrounded by meadows and reed beds and with a lot of birds in May. Pökönnokka is an open grassy headland nearly cutting Potinlahti off the sea. The headland is mainly sand. The shore meadow was used as a pasture or the grass cut down until very recently. Virpiniemi moor lies behind the highest dune on the shore on a plane where the wind has swept everything away. The moor resulted from free grazing combined with wind which resulted in the barren moor. Mäntyniemi moor is similar, only it is gradually turning into a piece of pine wood.