March 31, 2005
Meet Randy: Activist from Norway
Name: Randy
Age: 30
From: Norway
Continue reading "Meet Randy: Activist from Norway"
Posted by Dave at 01:30 PM
| Comments (1)
Finnish Reindeer Forests: Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you wanted to know about the Forest Rescue Station. But were too afraid to ask!
We are not against logging and forestry. On the contrary, we support ecologically, socially and economically sustainable use of forests in all countries and continents where we campaign. We also support the need for protected areas, where industrial logging should not be allowed.
Continue reading "Finnish Reindeer Forests: Frequently Asked Questions"
Posted by Dave at 11:00 AM
March 30, 2005
Have loggers started cutting down trees again?
Kim goes out demarcating reindeer herding forests - but some loggers cut down a tree that carried demarcation signs!
Continue reading "Have loggers started cutting down trees again?"
Posted by Dave at 04:03 PM
| Comments (14)
Sámi concert in Inari
On Sunday evening we visited a Sámi concert in Inari. The crowd was very different than expected - most people attending were dressed up in normal clothes - rather than traditional Sámi clothes.
Continue reading "Sámi concert in Inari"
Posted by Dave at 02:18 PM
| Comments (2)
Meet Niila: Activist from Helsinki
Name: Niila
Age: 31
From: Helsinki
Continue reading "Meet Niila: Activist from Helsinki"
Posted by Dave at 09:41 AM
March 29, 2005
The Forest
To take us out of Easter - here's a beautiful forest gallery of images by Matti Snellman, showing the trees, lichen and snowy landscapes of Upper Lapland, Finland.
Posted by Dave at 08:56 PM
Meet Matti: Campaigner
Name: Matti
From: Finland
Job: Campaigner
Continue reading "Meet Matti: Campaigner"
Posted by Dave at 04:11 PM
Interview: The reindeer flees from the logging
An interview with Nellim-based reindeer herder Kalevi Paadar:
Reindeer herders of the remote village of Nellim still herd reindeer with traditional methods, using natural wilderness pastures of the area. In other parts of their co-operative, reindeer herding has partly shifted away from grazing on natural pastures due to extensive logging, and the reindeers are fed in the wild.
Continue reading "Interview: The reindeer flees from the logging"
Posted by Dave at 12:37 AM
March 24, 2005
At the StoraEnso AGM: Updated!
On Tuesday, in Helsinki, paper company StoraEnso had its annual general meeting. Matti, our campaigner, attended as a shareholder enabling us to put forward resolutions - which were read out by two Sámi people, Pauliina Feodoroff and Janne, from Inari, in the area where reindeer forests and the livelihoods of herders are under threat.
Continue reading "At the StoraEnso AGM: Updated!"
Posted by Dave at 09:55 AM
| Comments (7)
March 23, 2005
Meet Sara: Activist from Helsinki
Name: Sara
Age: 25
From: Helsinki
Continue reading "Meet Sara: Activist from Helsinki"
Posted by Dave at 07:17 PM
Snow Eye
Our Nordic web editor, Iréne, has headed back to Sweden, but she left us with her thoughts about snow...
Posted by Dave at 06:18 PM
| Comments (5)
Spring! Well, Sort Of...
Spring is here! Well, not really. It's still minus three or four outside - the rise in temperature has brought snow - its now pelting down outside the Forest Rescue Station office in Inari...
Continue reading "Spring! Well, Sort Of..."
Posted by Dave at 06:18 PM
| Comments (1)
Forests: Before & After Total Destruction
Right - we've been talking about forests for weeks now. But what does an old reindeer forest look like? And what's left behind if it's destroyed for logging? Matti Snellman has put together two 360° Quicktime VR movies. When you open these up in Quicktime, drag the screen with your mouse, to look around.
Bear in mind - the trees in the 'intact' version are quite old - one hundred years, and more. Trees grow very, very slowly up here, north of the Arctic Circle.
Before: Reindeer Forest (Quicktime VR .mov 375KB)
After: Clear Cut Forest (Quicktime VR .mov 220KB)
Posted by Dave at 04:55 PM
| Comments (3)
March 22, 2005
Copy That: Xerox Gets the Message
The Xerox Corporation - Europe's largest supplier of copy paper, has informed us that their copy paper products will no longer contain fibres from the Sámi reindeer forests.
Continue reading "Copy That: Xerox Gets the Message"
Posted by Dave at 10:24 PM
Why Are We Here? (In French)
French mp3 - Activist Emilie from France, explains what why the Forest Rescue Station is here, in Inari.
Listen/écoutez: Why are we here?/ Pourquoi nous sommes là - In French/en français (.mp3, 2.8MB)
Posted by Dave at 04:54 PM
Letter from Xerox to Greenpeace
Letter from Jack C. Azar, Xerox to Phil Aikman, Greenpeace, dated March 11th 2005 »
And here's the related press release...
Tue 22 March 2005, Helsinki, FINLAND
Greenpeace challenges Finland's paper giant to defend Sámi reindeer forests. Xerox Corporation already committed.
Continue reading "Letter from Xerox to Greenpeace"
Posted by Dave at 04:42 PM
March 21, 2005
Metsähallitus: They Want the Old-Growth Forests...
It seems that Metsähallitus's manager for Upper Lapland, Mr Pertti Veijola, has been doing our job for us - by pointing out the unsustainable nature of his company's future plans...
Continue reading "Metsähallitus: They Want the Old-Growth Forests..."
Posted by Dave at 09:29 PM
| Comments (2)
Action in Den Haag (Netherlands)
The international adventure continues - on Friday, another Forest Rescue Station container was put in place - but not in Finland. This one - which was just likes the ones we have here in the forests, was symbolically placed outside the Finnish Embassy in Den Haag (The Hague) in the Netherlands - along with a banner, strung from two streetlights, which read "Save Ancient Forests".
Continue reading "Action in Den Haag (Netherlands)"
Posted by Dave at 06:25 PM
| Comments (2)
Meet Joe: Activist From Belgium
Name: Joe
From: Belgium
Job: Activist
Continue reading "Meet Joe: Activist From Belgium"
Posted by Dave at 01:14 PM
Making the Reindeer Art
So, how did we make the Reindeer Art? Matti Snellman shot a time-lapse video of the making of the reindeer - so you can see the image being formed...
Posted by Dave at 12:57 PM
March 20, 2005
Reindeer Art
It's a Sunday afternoon - I'm in a wooded valley, on the frozen river Juutua River, north of the Arctic Circle. I'm standing in a line of people - from the Inari area, and Greenpeace activists from the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Holland and Finland. We're doing a Mexican wave at the sky, as a small ski-plane flies low over the trees in front of us, with a video cameraman on board. I've had a few stranger Sunday afternoons, but this definitely rates as different.
Continue reading "Reindeer Art"
Posted by Dave at 09:55 PM
| Comments (6)
Meet Niko: Activist from Finland
Name: Niko
Age: 25
From: Finland
Continue reading "Meet Niko: Activist from Finland"
Posted by Dave at 09:57 AM
| Comments (1)
March 18, 2005
Demonstration Against Us
All week we had been hearing rumours that the forestry workers had been planning a demonstration against the Forest Rescue Station. We just continued our daily work at the camp - same as usual...
Continue reading "Demonstration Against Us"
Posted by Dave at 10:44 PM
| Comments (2)
Meet Jetske: Activist from the Netherlands
Name: Jetske
From: Holland
Job: Civil Servant
Continue reading "Meet Jetske: Activist from the Netherlands"
Posted by Dave at 05:17 PM
Well Done, Cyberactivists!
According to the Finnish regional newspaper Kaleva, the Finnish forest minister has been getting lots of emails...
Continue reading "Well Done, Cyberactivists!"
Posted by Dave at 05:03 PM
Visitors To The Forest Rescue Station
The Forest Rescue Station had some visitors yesterday - in the form of a delegation of sixty or so loggers from the wood workers union. It was a protest of sorts - albeit a peaceful one. There was no shouting, or trouble - they just came along to express their opinions and fears.
Continue reading "Visitors To The Forest Rescue Station"
Posted by Dave at 02:24 PM
March 17, 2005
Interview: Aslak Jomppanen, reindeer herder
Aslak Jomppanen has been grazing his reindeer in the forests of Paadarskaidi for 30 years, just like his father's reindeer before him. Aslak started to herd reindeer abck in 1975, when the infamously bad years for reindeer herding were left behind.
Continue reading "Interview: Aslak Jomppanen, reindeer herder"
Posted by Dave at 08:15 PM
| Comments (4)
Activists on the Street!
Our activists from the Forest Rescue station were on the street yesterday - meeting and talking to the people of Inari. They were handing out information about our campaign here, and explaining the purpose of our campaign. Some of the local media has been a little-bit one sided on the issue of reindeer-herding and ancient forest, so sometimes explaining things face-to-face is the best way to tell the real story...
Continue reading "Activists on the Street!"
Posted by Dave at 12:23 PM
| Comments (3)
March 16, 2005
Demarcation South From Angeli
On Tuesday we started to mark important reindeer grazing grounds, south from the village of Angeli in the Savuvaara area. We were joined by three local reindeer herders, Nilla, Hansi and his wife Toini - along their snow scooters and sleighs. The morning was brisk and sunny, and we left our lodgings rather late in the morning.Continue reading "Demarcation South From Angeli"
Posted by Dave at 11:18 PM
| Comments (3)
The Jobs Question
Our campaigner, Matti, responds to queries about jobs in the Inari area...
Hey Philippe et all re: jobs.
Let us quote an old (2001), but still relevant article published here in Inari in local newspaper Inarilainen:
Sent to the letters page of Inarilainen in Inari municipality, on March 1 2001, by reindeer herders:
"WE TOO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OUR JOBS
Continue reading "The Jobs Question"
Posted by Dave at 10:51 PM
| Comments (5)
Greeting the Prime Minister with Fragments of his National Culture... Woodchips
The Finnish Prime Minister arrived in Rome today, to open a 'Finnish Forestry Room' at the UN headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which was meant to represent national culture.
Continue reading "Greeting the Prime Minister with Fragments of his National Culture... Woodchips"
Posted by Dave at 04:50 PM
| Comments (14)
Sámi Parliament: Harmonising Forestry With Reindeer Herding
SAMEDIGGI
SAAMELAISKÄRÄJÄT
SAMETINGET
SÁMI PARLIAMENT IN FINLAND
Press release 16.3.2005
HARMONISING FORESTRY WITH REINDEER HERDING
The forest dispute in Inari is not only about the conflict between the livelihoods of lumberjacks and reindeer herders. The ownership of state forests is questionable and Finland does not implement Sámi rights for land and livelihood in any form in its legislation.
Continue reading "Sámi Parliament: Harmonising Forestry With Reindeer Herding"
Posted by Dave at 03:47 PM
Dear Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs: Stop Trashing Sámi Reindeer Forests!
While we've been busy here in the north of Finland, other activists have been busy elsewhere. Yesterday, we were out in the Forests near Angeli, demarcating reindeer grazing areas in the Muotkatunturi co-operative, and Swiss activists were unfurling a banner out the UN venue Palais de Nations in Geneva. It read: "Dear Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs: Stop Trashing Sámi Reindeer Forests".
Continue reading "Dear Finnish Minister of Foreign Affairs: Stop Trashing Sámi Reindeer Forests!"
Posted by Dave at 03:29 PM
| Comments (2)
The Boycott Against The Reindeer Herders
More strange goings on - now the forestry workers union wants to boycott the reindeer herders...
Continue reading "The Boycott Against The Reindeer Herders"
Posted by Dave at 01:48 PM
| Comments (4)
Meet Emilie: Activist from France
Name: Emilie
From: Marseilles, France
Job: Activist
Continue reading "Meet Emilie: Activist from France"
Posted by Dave at 11:59 AM
| Comments (5)
March 14, 2005
A Clean Camp - The Dirty Truth
Let's get down to basics. How do organise the Forest Rescue Station - and how do we take care of the campsite?
Continue reading "A Clean Camp - The Dirty Truth"
Posted by Dave at 08:54 PM
Meet Achim: Activist and Writer
Name: Achim
From: Germany, Region Nationalpark Kellerwald-Edersee
Job: Bookwriter
Continue reading "Meet Achim: Activist and Writer"
Posted by Dave at 10:17 AM
| Comments (4)
March 13, 2005
Meet Anisha: Web Editor From Germany
Name: Anisha
From: Hamburg, Germany
Job: Web Editor
Continue reading "Meet Anisha: Web Editor From Germany"
Posted by Dave at 06:36 PM
The Forest Rescue Station View
Here's a treat. I've stitched together a dozen or so photos, taken from the viewing tower. The perspective is as a litte weird, but it should give some idea of the countryside around the Forest Rescue Station.
The view from the Forest Rescue Station (1200pix wide image) »
Posted by Dave at 12:36 PM
| Comments (1)
March 11, 2005
Reindeer Roundup Video
Watch a video of the Reindeer Roundup!
Download Windows Media File » (.wmv, 5.6MB)
Download Quicktime » (.mov, 6.2MB)
Download Real » (.rm, 4.3MB)
Posted by Dave at 08:47 PM
Reindeer Roundup In A Finnish Forest
Article and photo gallery: Dave spends an afternoon in the forest with the Sámi herders as they do a 'reindeer roundup'...
Continue reading "Reindeer Roundup In A Finnish Forest"
Posted by Dave at 08:23 PM
| Comments (3)
Monday: Ask Olli! - Chat to our campaigner
Next Monday (March 14) you can chat online to Olli, one of our campaigners here in Lapland, and also the forests campaigner for Germany...
CHAT TIME: Monday 14 March, 7pm CET (6pm London, 8pm Helsinki, 1pm New York)
Here's more details on joining the chat »
The chat will take place here »
Posted by Dave at 08:19 PM
Finnish Forestry Minister's opinion on the forest conflict in Upper Lapland is one-sided
On March 8, the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) announced that 'Finnish Forestry Minister's opinion on the forest conflict in Upper Lapland is one-sided' »
Posted by Dave at 08:18 PM
| Comments (1)
Map of the Inari reindeer herding cooperatives
Here's a map showing Sámi reindeer herding cooperatives in the Inari area...
Continue reading "Map of the Inari reindeer herding cooperatives"
Posted by Dave at 08:04 PM
March 10, 2005
Meet Dave: Web Editor
Name: Dave
From: Ireland
Job: Web editor
Continue reading "Meet Dave: Web Editor"
Posted by Dave at 02:41 PM
| Comments (3)
Download: Download a map showing the Sámi Reindeer Forests Paper Trail
Download a map showing the Sámi Reindeer Forests Paper Trail (.pdf, 74KB)»
See how the trees from Sámi reindeer forests find their way into paper products throughout Europe...
Posted by Dave at 12:43 PM
Interview: The Sámi Reindeer Forest Paper Trail
 |
| The Sámi; herders and Forest Rescue Station meeting StoraEnso's Matti Karjula and (far right). Includes Jorma (second from left), Kalevi, and Phil, in red. |
Right - time to talk about what's happening in here in Lapland, with Phil one the Forest Rescue Station campaigners...
Continue reading "Interview: The Sámi Reindeer Forest Paper Trail"
Posted by Dave at 10:41 AM
Meet Iréne: Web Editor
Name: Iréne
From: Sweden/Finland
Job: Web Editor
Continue reading "Meet Iréne: Web Editor"
Posted by Dave at 10:08 AM
Meet Hembo: Activist from Estonia
Name: Hembo Pagi
From: Estonia
Job: Quality Engineer
Continue reading "Meet Hembo: Activist from Estonia"
Posted by Dave at 09:46 AM
March 09, 2005
Stop pulping the Sámi reindeer forests!
The Sámi reindeer forests of northern Lapland are being pulped by the Finnish State controlled paper giant, StoraEnso. These areas of forest provide vital food resources for free-grazing reindeer during the Arctic winter months.
StoraEnso can stop this destruction by not buying logs from these areas.
Pressure them to change! »
Posted by Dave at 11:40 PM
Strange Statements From Forest Minister Juha Korkeaoja
 |
| Juha Korkeaoja |
The Finnish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Juha Korkeaoja, has been making strange statements...
Continue reading "Strange Statements From Forest Minister Juha Korkeaoja"
Posted by Dave at 08:11 PM
Meet Martijn: Activist from Holland
Name: Martijn Nije
From: Holland
Job: Student (almost) and working at a child nursery
Continue reading "Meet Martijn: Activist from Holland"
Posted by Dave at 04:03 PM
| Comments (1)
March 08, 2005
Meet Pilvi and Jorma - Reindeer Herders from Angeli
Sini Harkki, FANC (Finnish Association for Nature Conservation )talks to Pilvi Aikio and Jorma Länsman about making a living as reindeer herders...
The family of Pilvi Aikio, Jorma Länsman and their two children make a living from reindeer herding. This choice of profession has always been clear to them - but since their childhood, reindeer herding has changed in many ways.
Continue reading "Meet Pilvi and Jorma - Reindeer Herders from Angeli"
Posted by Dave at 08:09 PM
Meet Olli: Forest Campaigner
Name: Oliver Salge
From: Germany
Job: Greenpeace forest campaigner
Continue reading "Meet Olli: Forest Campaigner"
Posted by Dave at 10:20 AM
No Logging. Reindeer Forest Area. Reindeer Herding Act 2
We spent a lot of the last few daysout in the forests of Nellim, with the demarcation team, put up signs in Finnish and English, around the boundaries of the Reindeer herding area.
Continue reading "No Logging. Reindeer Forest Area. Reindeer Herding Act 2"
Posted by Dave at 12:31 AM
Demarcation - The Movie
Downloadable video - watch the Forest Rescue Team map out and demarcate the designated areas for reindeer herding!
Quicktime, 9MB »
Windows Media, 7MB »
Real, 6MB »
Posted by Dave at 12:10 AM
| Comments (1)
March 07, 2005
Some Good News
Good news! The Finnish state forest company, Metsähallitus, has agreed to stop logging in the Nellim area - one of the important reindeer herding areas. Here's the chain of events, which have been unfolding with surprising rapidity.
Continue reading "Some Good News"
Posted by Dave at 11:25 PM
Play Eco Quest!
Save the forests - play the game - play Eco Quest III - The Reindeer Herders
Continue reading "Play Eco Quest!"
Posted by Dave at 08:55 PM
Greenpeace join forces with Sámi reindeer herders to secure their forest future
The latest press release from the Forest Rescue Station...
Continue reading "Greenpeace join forces with Sámi reindeer herders to secure their forest future"
Posted by Dave at 01:57 PM
March 06, 2005
Meet Satu: Activist
Name: Satu
From: Residing in Turku, Finland
Job: Student
Continue reading "Meet Satu: Activist"
Posted by Dave at 05:56 PM
| Comments (7)
Ric: Logistics co-ordinator
Name: Richard Carlson
From: New Zealand
Job: Logistics co-ordinator
Continue reading "Ric: Logistics co-ordinator"
Posted by Dave at 04:08 PM
| Comments (6)
Ric Comes In From the Cold
Our man in the woods, Ric, comes in for his Internet fix...
Continue reading "Ric Comes In From the Cold"
Posted by Dave at 03:17 PM
March 05, 2005
Life at the Forest Rescue Station
OK- so you've seen how we set up the station - now see what life has been like during the first few days...
Continue reading "Life at the Forest Rescue Station"
Posted by Dave at 05:58 PM
| Comments (3)
March 04, 2005
Logging In Finnish Lapland
Just uploaded a feature on logging in Finland, featuring interviews with Sámi reindeer herders, representives of Metsähallitus and Stora Enso, as well footage of the Finnish landscape - and the devasation caused by uncontrolled forestry.
Logging in Finnish Lapland
Quicktime, 5MB »
Windows Media, 5MB »
Real, 4MB »
Posted by Dave at 03:02 PM
Forest Rescue Station: Setting Up
Get them while they're hot - watch the camp being set up!
Quicktime, 5MB »
Windows Media, 5MB »
Real, 4MB »
Posted by Dave at 01:44 PM
March 03, 2005
First Night In the Tent
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| Two freeze-dried web editors © 2005 Greenpeace |
So, my first night at the Forest Rescue Station... on a mattress of pine twigs and reindeer skin, and wrapped up in a hardcore polar sleeping bag. Below that, snow. Above, the walls of a Sámi kota (like a teepee), and in the centre, a blazing fire, which we kept tended till the wee hours. But wrapped up in our sleeping bags, we didn't even bother closing the entrance flap - and it was -20C last night.
Continue reading "First Night In the Tent"
Posted by Dave at 09:01 PM
Take Action!
You might have spotted in it in the sidebar - but I'm announcing it all the same. Help us out!
Send a letter to Mr Erkki Tuomioja, Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, urging the Finnish government to live up to its national and international responsibilities and protect the rights of the Sámi to practise traditional reindeer herding in Lapland.
Posted by Dave at 08:48 PM
March 02, 2005
Government continues logging in Sámi reindeer forests
Government continues logging in Sámi reindeer forests
Send a letter to Mr Erkki Tuomioja, Finland's Minister of Foreign Affairs, urging the Finnish government to live up to its national and international responsibilities and protect the rights of the Sámi to practise traditional reindeer herding in Lapland.
Take Action!
Posted by Dave at 11:31 PM
Ice Station Reindeer
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| © 2005 Greenpeace / Dave Walsh |
Day 1 at the Forest Rescue Station is coming to a close. This morning, we held a press conference at the Sámi Museum. To an audience of both regional and national media - including Sámi TV.
Continue reading "Ice Station Reindeer"
Posted by Dave at 06:28 PM
| Comments (1)
Taking to the Sámi reindeer forests
Here's the press release that we sent out earlier!
Forest Rescue Station set up in Finnish Lapland
Inari, Lapland/Amsterdam 2nd March 2004: Greenpeace today announced that it would be stepping up its campaign to protect remaining ancient forests in Finland by establishing a Forest Rescue Station in the last Sámi reindeer forests of Arctic Lapland...
Continue reading "Taking to the Sámi reindeer forests"
Posted by Dave at 10:00 AM
Lapland: State of Conflict
Read the report: "Lapland: State of Conflict - How the Finnish government is abusing the forest rights of Sámi reindeer herders" (pdf)
Posted by Dave at 09:00 AM
Welcome to the Forest Rescue Station
From today, we'll be bringing you this weblog from deep inside the frozen forests of northern Finland. Greenpeace activists will be living in the forests, helping Sámi reindeer herders to protect the ancient forests from the destruction caused by the state-owned logging company, Metsähallitus.
The Forest Rescue Station camp is in place, and we've got a press conference this morning...
Posted by Dave at 08:00 AM
Finland's Forests
In the north of Finland, the Finnish government's own logging company (Metsähallitus) is logging in areas crucial for the traditional livelihood of indigenous Sámi reindeer herders, despite the recommendations of the UN Committee on Human Rights.
Continue reading "Finland's Forests"
Posted by Dave at 12:17 AM
March 01, 2005
Gallery 1 - Sámi Life
Photos by Matti Snellman & Hembo Pagi
Continue reading "Gallery 1 - Sámi Life"
Posted by Dave at 07:56 PM
| Comments (1)
Gallery 2 - Setting up Camp
The Greenpeace living accomodation arrives...
Continue reading "Gallery 2 - Setting up Camp"
Posted by Irene at 07:18 PM
Where We Are - 69° North
So, where are we? Extremely far north, that's where...
Continue reading "Where We Are - 69° North"
Posted by Dave at 01:07 PM
Meet the activists
Over the coming weeks, we will be be introducing both Sámi reindeer herders and Greenpeace activists who are living in the forests of Lapland. Stay tuned!
Posted by Dave at 01:04 PM
Forest Links
Links to further reading on the threatened forests of Finland...
Continue reading "Forest Links"
Posted by Dave at 12:34 PM
Sámi Links
Lots of links to websites about Sámi culture and reindeer herding...
Posted by Dave at 11:59 AM
Other Links
Weather in the Inari/Ivalo region »
Finland For Thought - Phil's Blog - good stuff this!
Posted by Dave at 11:34 AM
