Soomaa as the name says in Estonian is the land of mires. Mires have played a big role in the lives of the people living in Soomaa, above all, as the separator from the rest of the world. This secluded area has through times drawn those in conflict with the remaining society as well as those just looking for freedom and privacy.
The people of Soomaa have always had a closer connection with rivers than mires. Only recently, the river was the only connection with the rest of the world. As recently as in the previous century the houses by the rivers were built facing the river which was the main way of traffic. People were acting on the riverbanks already in the Stone Age and those ancient hunters and fishermen have left behind a number of traces and items. However, no larger settlement was established in Soomaa during ancient history. Probably one of the reasons therefor was the extensive flooding characteristic to the present network of rivers. The most recognised trademark of Soomaa – the fifth season, is not the work of the marketing professionals but comes from the locals.
The name Soomaa was first taken into use in 1922 by Johannes Gabriel Granö, the first professor of geography at the University of Tartu, upon the classification of the Estonian landscapes. According to the professor it was the landscape of plains, bogs and forests in the central and northern part of Pärnu County. In 1993, a national park bearing the same name was established in the centre of Soomaa landscape region for the preservation, protection, restoration, examination and introduction of the Middle-Estonia large mires, flooded meadows and forests, landscapes and cultural heritage and balanced use of the environment. The national park visitor centre is located in Kõrtsi-Tõramaa.
The name of Jõemaa was taken into use in 1999 in the domestic tourism concept prepared by the Tourism Board and the Estonian Ecotourism Association i.e in the classification of the so-called „fifth-lands“ which combines modern knowledge from satellite photos with our knowledge of the oldest parish classification based on kindred settlement. Jõemaa fifth-land encompasses parishes along the ancient Suur-Emajõgi and the tributaries thereof from Pärnu to Peipsi.
Rohelise Jõemaa Koostöökogu founded in 2006 is a sustainable regional development organisation the area of activity of which includes Pärnu, Tori, Põhja-Pärnumaa, Saarde rural municipalities from Pärnu county, Põhja-Sakala rural municipality from Viljandi county and Kehtna rural municipality from Rapla county.