Forests & Reindeer Herding

Reindeer herding, practised by both the indigenous Sámi peoples and non-Sámi Finnish reindeer herders, is in most parts of Northern Finland theoretically protected against other land uses by Finnish legislation. In the area especially reserved for reindeer herding, forestry and other land use should not, according to the law, significantly hinder this traditional livelihood.

However, in reality the forestry practised by Finnish governmental forestry enterprise Metsähallitus is steadily diminishing and damaging the reindeer grazing forests by logging and road construction. Logging destroys the forests reindeer depend on for their food. Logging residues prevent reindeer from accessing ground lichen, and the destruction of old-growth forests means the destruction of tree hanging lichen. These two lichen types are crucial for the survival of reindeer especially in the late winter.

Forests, reindeer herding and indigenous culture

"Living forests form a central part of Sámi culture. Old growth forests are of crucial importance for reindeer herding and should not be logged for pulp mills under any circumstances. In the Sámi culture we have been taught to respect forests ever since our childhood," - Pekka Aikio, President of the Sámi Parliament, Finland.

These ancient boreal forests are home to tens of thousands of indigenous peoples. The reindeer-herding Sámi live in northern parts of Sweden, Finland and Norway as well as the Murmansk region of Russia. The forests also support the traditional cultures of the Komi and Nenets (or Samoyeds) who inhabit the Arkhangelsk Region and Komi Republic of European Russia.

The Sámi peoples' right to practise their culture and traditional livelihood is also protected through the Finnish Constitution and a number of international agreements. Reindeer herding is the basis of the Sámi culture.

What are we asking for?

Greenpeace, the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC) and a majority of the reindeer herding co-operatives in the Sámi area have jointly mapped the important reindeer grazing forests. Reindeer herders and environmental organisations demand that the mapped areas must be left outside of harmful industrial logging. The needs of reindeer herders and wishes of the organisations are to a large extent ignored. The Finnish government continues the destructive logging of several of the crucial winter pasture areas.

Pulp Fiction - behind the logging

The driving force behind the logging of these economically, culturally and ecologically significant forests is the Finnish pulp and paper industry. 70 percent of the wood logged by Metsähallitus in Sámi homeland is sold for pulp and paper production. The Finnish paper giant, StoraEnso, buys most of the wood originating from destruction of reindeer grazing forests, which finally ends up being sold to the European consumer as magazines, copy paper, envelopes and even disposable tissue paper.

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