Reindeer Blog » Finland

Herders, Farmers Threaten to Shoot Reindeer From Norway

Philip Burgess — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:38:23 +0000

Farmers and herders in Northern Finland have threatened to shoot reindeer from Norway. “Between December 2009 and May 2010, we have set up a tent, and sent back about 4200 Norwegian reindeer, ” said Assistant Police Chief in Peräpohjola police in Finland, Ossi Hyvönen. Hyvönen estimated the damage to pastures to be as much as 120,000 Euros, just under 1 Million NOK, according to a reports NRK Radio. “In particular the farmers are very angry. If we have no choice, we may have to shoot some reindeer before the reindeer owners on the Norwegian side pay attention. More fences on the Norwegian side of the border were discussed as being a solution the issue. Source: NRK

Yamal Reindeer Meat to Finland..

Philip Burgess — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 20:20:14 +0000

Finland’s largest processor of reindeer meat, Lapin Liha, is to begin to import reindeer meat from the Yamal Peninsula.

This will signal the first time that Yamal reindeer meat is imported to a country that already has a domestic reindeer meat industry.

Lapin Liha stated to the media that this was necessary as there was simply not enough reindeer meat supply in the market in Finland to meet their production goals of 40,000 reindeer per year. Currently they are processing around 24000 per year, 3000 of which come from Sweden.

Lapin Liha plan to import 200-250,000 kilos per year, all of which will come from the EU certified slaughterhouse in Yar-Sale, which was constructed by the Finnish company Kometos Oy.

Read the news release here on the Lapin Liha site.

Wild Reindeer in Finland Under Threat

Philip Burgess — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:48:17 +0000

Finland’s rare wild forest reindeer may be facing total extinction, says the Finnish Hunters` Association. The group is calling for Finland and the EU to jointly protect the wild reindeer by further regulating the population of large predators.

The sharp drop in the number of wild Finnish forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) is attributed to the growing numbers of wolves, lynx and bears that prey upon them. The Hunters` Association is calling for more permits to hunt these predators in parts of the country where they threaten wild reindeer.

In Kainuu, in the northwest, the wild forest reindeer population has decline by half over the past decade. Counts now give an estimate of only about 800 of the animals left there. In addition to the wild forest reindeer in Kainuu, there are about 1000 in the old-growth forest areas of west-central Finland.

The wild Finnish forest reindeer are the last population of their species in the world.

Source – YLE

First Female Head of Finnish Reindeer Herders Association Elected: Notes Challenges to Reindeer Husbandry

Philip Burgess — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 19:45:05 +0000

On Sunday Anne Ollila became the first woman to head the Reindeer Herders’ Association of Finland.

Both she and the reindeer herding sector face great challenges, writes the daily Lapin Kansa:

“The challenges are not insurmountable because a Finn never leaves a reindeer in the lurch. Lapland wouldn’t be Lapland without reindeers.

The reindeer herding sector will continue to be important for the economy of the north, which serves not only its own people but because of rising tourism also a growing number of customers.

For the future it is vital that reindeers and reindeer meat continue to enjoy an excellent reputation. In a world of green values it’s good to stress that reindeers which grow up surrounded by clean nature leave behind smaller ecological footprints than other ruminants.”

Source – Baltic Review

Could Car Navigation Systems Prevent Reindeer Road Deaths?

Philip Burgess — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:57:44 +0000

(Source: Helsingin Sanomat) In-car satellite navigation systems will start issuing warnings of possible reindeer on Finnish highways. The experiment set to start this autumn relates to a Ministry of Transport and Communications project, the aim of which is to cut the number of reindeer accidents in half.
Reindeer may not have the bulk and potentially lethal threat of elk, but they do pose a considerable problem on Finnish roads. Annually around 4,000 collisions with reindeer take place on the highways of the north. Between January and July this year, around 400 road accidents involving a reindeer have been officially reported.

Various steps, such as spreading reindeer repellent on the roads, have been taken in an attempt to reduce the number of reindeer collisions. So far these measures have had little effect on the number of accidents.
“Today many motorists already have sat-nav devices in their cars, so harnessing this technology to warn about the reindeer might be an efficient method”, says executive manager Pertti Viik of the Reindeer Herders’ Association.
Nearly every satellite navigation device can be rigged to sound a beep to inform the driver of a police speed camera lurking by the side of the road. The thinking goes that in the same fashion, an intelligent device could warn about the presence of reindeer.

Unfortunately, unlike the cameras in their sheet metal boxes, the reindeer do not stay put.
“For this purpose the reindeer herders will notify on which road sections there are exceptionally large numbers of reindeer. For example in the spring the reindeer will not try to cross a river if the ice is too weak. At that time the animals easily resort to using roads and bridges instead”, Viik explains.
In the first phase, six of the country’s 56 reindeer herding cooperatives will take part in the experiment.
“The information will be collected by the cooperatives’ damage estimators, who then pass the information regarding the reindeer movements to Destia Traffic, responsible for maintaining the database. In the autumn it will be decided how long the individual reindeer warnings will continue to be transmitted to the navigators”, explains engineer Erkki Hulkko of the Finnish Road Administration’s Lapland Road Region.
Destia Traffic is the leading provider of commercial traffic information in the Nordic and Baltic countries.

The sums involved in reindeer accidents are not small: each year the reindeer cooperatives receive compensation of around EUR 1.5 million for livestock lost in this way. The average sum is around 700 euros, but for an animal that is used for racing, or in the tourism industry – for example pulling Santa’s sleigh – the figure can be as much as EUR 2,000. Compulsory vehicle insurance provides compensation for major vehicle damage or personal injuries.

Reindeer Herders and Metsähallitus Reach Agreement, Finland

Philip Burgess — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:03:37 +0000

(Source – Metsähallitus / NRK Sami Radio) Metsähallitus and three Sámi reindeer herders from Nellim in Finnish Lapland have settled their disagreement, formerly under review in various courts of law and the UN Human Rights Committee. An agreement between Metsähallitus and Kalevi, Eero and Veijo Paadar specifies which state-owned lands in Nellim are to be available for Metsähallitus’s forestry operations and which lands are to be excluded from forestry operations for the next 20 years. The agreement also terminates all lawsuits between the parties. The Reindeer Blog has been following this story in the past.

The agreement furthermore terminates the process underway at the UN Human Rights Committee, as the Paadars will withdraw their petition to the committee.

The lawsuits, initiated in 2005, were based on the Paadars’ view that Metsähallitus’s actions within reindeer pastures were significantly weakening the profitability of reindeer herding dependent on free grazing in the Nellim area. According to the Paadars’ claim, continued logging would put an end to communal reindeer herding in Nellim. On these grounds, the Paadars demanded a court decision to prohibit logging in specified winter pastures in the Nellim area. The key issue at stake in the disagreement was the availability of sufficient winter pasture. Metsähallitus deemed the claims unfounded.

The Lappi District Court dismissed the Paadars’ motion more than a year ago, after which the Paadars took their case to the Rovaniemi Court of Appeal.

As the parties have now settled their disagreement and the court of appeal confirms this agreement, the dispute will be terminated in all courts of law.

According to the agreement, Metsähallitus will, for a 20-year period, refrain from logging operations in forests where no previous forestry operations have been carried out. Timber felling and other forest management operations may continue as normal in forests which have undergone previous forestry operations, as specified in greater detail in the agreement.

The agreement applies to standard forestry operations. Cutting of timber and land use referred to in the Skolt Sámi Act is not restricted, nor activities such as fishing, hunting or off-road traffic.

Both parties view the agreement as a significant result. “We are very pleased that this agreement was reached, making it possible to continue traditional reindeer herding in Nellim. Herding reindeer is a way of life for us, and we can now happily return to that,” comments Kalevi Paadar.

“This agreement allows Metsähallitus to work freely without disturbance and guarantees continued forestry operations also in the Nellim area, aside from the specified restrictions. This is a good compromise,” says Forestry Manager Pertti Heikkuri of Metsähallitus.

For further information, contact
Juha Mäkinen, Director of Communications, Metsähallitus, mobile: +358 40 570 9307
Pertti Heikkuri, Forestry Manager, Metsähallitus Upper Lapland, mobile: +358 400 296 613
Kirsi-Marja Korhonen, Regional Director, Metsähallitus, mobile: +358 400 300861

On behalf of the Paadars:
Johanna Ojala, attorney, mobile: +358 400 879711

Finnish Reindeer Meat Gets EU ‘PDO’ Status

Philip Burgess — Tue, 12 May 2009 16:49:24 +0000

Reindeer meat from Finnish Lapland is now recognized in the EU as a product with a high level of quality and as a traditional product. This means that reindeer meat from Lapland in Finland was added to the regulation of Parma ham and other similar products, among which is a protected designation of origin (PDO).
The label may now be applied to reindeer meat, which is produced in the Finnish reindeer management area on reindeer born and bred in that region. The label requires that the reindeer meat is also cut, and packaged in the Finnish reindeer management area. Finnish reindeer husbandry produces 2-2,5 million kilos annually. This change in regulation may improve the marketing and sales of reindeer meat internationally and ease conditions for the production and sale of products for reindeer herders.

You can read the COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 510/2006. ‘LAPIN PORON LIHA’ EC No: FI/PDO/005/0352/15.07.2004, PDO ( X ) PGI ( ) here on the Reindeer Portal Document Archive

Nellim Reindeer Herders Ordered to Pay 100,000 Euros in Damages

Philip Burgess — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:00:45 +0000

(Pic. Helsingin Sanomat) Three Sami reindeer herders from Nellim, in Northern FInland have just lost their case against the Finnish state forestry giant Metsahallitus in the Lapland District Court. The reindeer herders argued that the logging practices of Metsahallitus was destroying reindeer pastures – ground lichen and hanging tree lichen and were not only threatening their livelihood as reindeer herders, but also their ability to practice Sami reindeer husbandry and maintain their Sami culture.

The regional newspaper Lapin Kansa reported (Aug 1, 2008) that the herders had lost their case and were ordered to pay a total of 100,000 Euros in damages and court fees. The case revolved around a 27 ha area South of Lake Inari in the Ivalo Reindeer Herding District. The herders (who are Sami) did not have the support of the reindeer herding district of which they are a member. Metsahallitus claimed that they would lose 160,000 Euros annually were they not allowed log this area. Metsahalltus argued that they had no responsibility to guarantee the income of other users of the state forests and the court agreed.

Kevät on aikaistunut pohjoisessa kahdella viikolla

Anne-Maria Magga — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:32:49 +0000

( Picture and original article: Metla) Kevät on aikaistunut viimeisen vuosikymmenen kuluessa Keski- ja Pohjois-Suomessa kahdella viikolla ja Etelä-Suomessa viikolla. Tulokset ilmenevät Metlan tutkimuksista, jotka on julkaistu kahdessa kansainvälisessä sarjassa.

(Brief summary in English: Spring comes two week earlier in Finnish Lapland than ten years ago. This appears from the recent research made by Finnish Metsätutkimuslaitos (Metla). Phenology, like formation of leaves and blooming of birch, aspen, hagberry, and hawthorn as well as blueberry and lingon was investigated for research. The rhytmic of plants reflects the temperature of air and changes in it. That is why phenological research is important when investigating the progress of climate change.)

Aineisto kerättiin vuosien 1997–2006 aikana. Tutkimuksissa selvitettiin hieskoivun, rauduskoivun, haavan, tuomen ja pihlajan sekä mustikan ja puolukan fenologiaa, kuten lehtien muodostumista ja kukkimista. Esimerkiksi hieskoivun hiirenkorvavaihe varhaistui koko maassa keskimäärin 0,7–1,4 vuorokautta vuosittain. Varhaistumiseen vaikutti selvimmin toukokuun keskilämpötilan kohoaminen.

Kuluva kevät vaikutti jo lupaavan lämpimältä toukokuun alkupuolella. Aivan eteläisimmässä Suomessa koivun lehdet tulivatkin hiirenkorvalle samoihin aikoihin kuin edellisinä vuosina. Lehteentulo eteni suhteellisen nopeasti Keski-Suomen korkeudelle, mutta viileät ilmat pysäyttivät kehityksen lähes kokonaan. Tällä hetkellä kevään eteneminen vaikuttaisi samankaltaiselta kuin viime vuonna, jolloin lehdet tulivat puihin hieman myöhässä. Katso Metinfo/fenologia.

Kasvien rytmiikka heijastaa voimakkaasti ilman lämpötilaa ja sen kehitystä. Tämän vuoksi fenologinen tutkimus on tärkeää, kun selvitetään ilmastonmuutoksen etenemistä.

Metsäntutkimuslaitos perusti yhdessä yliopistojen ja valtion tutkimuslaitosten kanssa koko maan kattavan kansallisen havaintoverkoston vuonna 1996. Siitä lähtien on vuosittain kerätty aineistoa eri kasvilajien fenologiasta eli niiden vuosirytmiikasta. Havainnoinnin piiriin kuuluu yhteensä 11 kasvilajia, joista valtaosa on metsäpuita. Koulutetut havainnoitsijat kirjaavat fenologiset ilmiöt muistiin tarkan ohjeistuksen mukaan ja ne päivittyvät Metlan internet-sivuille reaaliajassa. Tällöin eri vuosia ja eri alueita voidaan helposti vertailla keskenään.

Lue lisää: Metla

Suurpetojen vuonna 2007 aiheuttamien porovahinkojen korvaukset maksuun täysimääräisenä

Anne-Maria Magga — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:53:35 +0000

Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö on päättänyt maksaa 1 732 261 euroa korvauksia loppuvuonna (1.7-31.12.2007) aiheutuneista porovahingoista sekä alkuvuonna (1.1. – 30.6.2007) aiheutuneista porovahingoista siltä osin kuin niitä ei vielä oltu korvattu täysimääräisesti.

(Summary in English: The Finnish Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture has decided to pay subsidies of 1 732 261 € to cover the damages – that haven’t been reimbused in full – caused by predators to reindeer husbandry during 1.1.2007 – 31.12.2007. The Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture couldn’t pay subsidies in whole last year since the claims for damages exceeded the budget allocated for 2007. The damages made up 2,55 million euro last year, and thus reached the highest level for 20 years.)

Metsästyslain (87 §) mukaan suurpetojen aiheuttamat porovahingot korvataan talousarvion rajoissa valtion varoista. Maa- ja metsätalousministeriö on viime vuosina maksanut korvauksia porovahingoista kahdesti vuodessa ja korvaukset on pyritty maksamaan täysimääräisinä. Petoeläinvahinkojen korvaamisesta annetun asetuksen mukaan täysimääräinen korvaus tarkoittaa poron käyvän arvon korvaamista kaksinkertaisena.

Pääsäännöstä poiketen ministeriö korvasi alkuvuoden porovahingot poikkeuksellisesti yksinkertaisena, koska TE-keskuksien ilmoittamat porovahingot olivat kyseessä olevalta kaudelta odotettua huomattavasti suuremmat, joten määrärahojen riittävyydestä ei ollut varmuutta. Oikein kohdennettujen suurpetopoliittisten linjausten ja toimenpiteiden johdosta maa- ja metsätalousministeriön on nyt mahdollista maksaa vahingonkorvaukset täysimääräisenä kaikille vahingonkärsijöille.

Poronhoitoalueen TE-keskusten yhteenvetojen mukaan maasuurpetojen aiheuttamat porovahingot olivat 2007 alkuvuonna 1 650 489 euroa ja loppuvuonna 907 034 eli yhteensä yli 2,55 miljoonaa euroa. Koko vuoden osalta korvauksia haettiin kaikkiaan 4090 porosta, joka on 752 poroa enemmän kuin edellisenä vuotena.

Viime vuoden porovahingot olivat suurimmat viimeiseen 20 vuoteen tilastoidut. Vuoden 2006 porovahingot olivat 2,1 miljoonaa euroa ja vuoden 2005 vahingot 1,75 miljoonaa euroa. Vahinkojen määrä on siten kasvanut yli 20 prosenttia vuodesta 2006 ja lähes 50 prosenttia verrattuna vuoteen 2005. Viime vuonna suurpedoista ahmojen tappamiksi kirjattiin1794 poroa. Karhut puolestaan tappoivat 828 poroa, sudet 1001 poroa ja ilvekset 467 poroa.

Lisätietoja maa- ja metsätalousministeriöstä:
ylitarkastaja Jussi Laanikari, puh. (09) 160 52283, 040 733 6229

21.4.2008

http://www.te-keskus.fi/Public/?nodeid=10597&ContentList=News&area=7543