The reserve was established in 1989, allowing visitors to see how people lived and farmed when slash-and-burn agriculture was practiced in Eastern Finland in the 15th century.

[2][3] Telkkämäki Nature Reserve is mostly covered by green-leafed forests, its most typical trees are alder and birch.

Plant species in the old slash-and-burn clearings include the bluebutton (or field scabious), common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) and rough hawkbit.

[3][2] There is an authentic farm and farmyard in Telkkämäki Nature Reserve that dates to the beginning of the 20th century.

In the summer, Telkkämäki is a lively sight with farm animals such as the finnhorse, eastern finncattle and finnsheep on the fields.