After the Second World War, Professor Olavi Kalela of the University of Helsinki took an interest in the migrations of the Norwegian lemming and launched research on voles in Kilpisjärvi in 1946. The biological station itself was established at Kalela’s initiative in 1963, serving since then researchers and students of both the University of Helsinki and other Finnish and international universities.
Kalela launched his vole studies in a small cabin in Kilpisjärvi as early as in 1946. The building gradually became known as the Mouse Cabin. He worked in very modest conditions: at the time, no one lived in Kilpisjärvi all year round except for the Malla Strict Nature Reserve park ranger. Kalela rented the Mouse Cabin from the park ranger’s family for the summer.
Kalela eventually submitted a proposal to the University of Helsinki to establish a biological station in Kilpisjärvi. The decision to found the station was made in 1963, and it officially began operations the year after. At the same time, the first station building was constructed by Lake Kilpisjärvi, and the researchers stationed in the Mouse Cabin were able to transfer their activities to the new building, now known as Eurola. More buildings were erected over the following decade, including a lakeside sauna and kitchen, the Wallgren residential building and the current main building. The new main building was fully equipped with a laboratory, larger residential quarters, a kitchen and a multipurpose facility.
Nearby buildings were later purchased to supplement the station. In 1987, a timber building was acquired not far from the station and named Kalela after the station’s founder. In 2008, the station was expanded to include the old facilities of the Finnish Forest Research Institute, which were named Kiekula after vole researcher Asko “Kieku” Kaikusalo. Over the years, the buildings have been renovated many times. The most recent major repair and construction project was completed in 2003 to add lodging space, a larger kitchen and dining room area, and a library.