Changes in mountain birch forests and reindeer management: Comparing different knowledge systems in Sápmi, northern Fennoscandia

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Mountain birch forests in the northern areas of Sápmi, the Saami homeland, serve as pastures for semi-domesticated reindeer. Recent reindeer management of the area has, to date, proceeded with little involvement of reindeer herders or their knowledge. To get more in-depth understanding of recent changes, we present together herders’ knowledge and scientific knowledge concerning the impacts of herbivory and climate change on mountain birch forests in three Saami communities in Norway and in Finland. Most of the herders interviewed reported changes in weather during the preceding decades. Herders agreed that the canopy and understorey of mountain birch forests have changed. The observed transformations in the quality of pastures have increased the financial costs of reindeer husbandry. Our study demonstrates that herders have practical knowledge of the present state and recent changes of birch forests, and of the responses of reindeer caused by these. This knowledge generally coincides with scientific knowledge. We call for better integration of knowledge systems and a better protocol for co-production of knowledge as it relates to more adaptive future reindeer management regimes. Such integration will facilitate understanding of cultural adaptation within rapidly changing social-ecological systems in which sustainable reindeer husbandry continues to be an important livelihood.</jats:p>

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in Sami Reindeer Herding: The Socio-Political Dimension of an Epizootic in an Indigenous Context

“…CWD could weaken reindeer husbandry, the associated livelihood and culture even more deeply (pers. comm., interview 18) [ 61 , 62 ]. However, for one Sami academic,…”

What drives reindeer management in Finland towards social and ecological tipping points?

“…Climate change affects RM in Finland in many ways and it has been studied widely since 2003 (Online resource 1; see e.g., Lépy and Pasanen 2017;Vuojala-Magga et al 2011;Turunen et al 2016;Forbes et al 2020). Intensification of agroforestry practices and expansion of forests are expected, as well as changes in the quality, biomass, and plant species composition of reindeer forage Turunen et al 2009).…”

“…They also fear that traditional ways of knowing (cf. Forbes et al 2020) and socio-cultural identity could be lost in the process (cf. Cumming and Peterson 2017; see also Lépy et al 2018).…”

Invisibility, Colors, Snow: Arctic Biosemiotics and the Violence of Climate Change

“…Future climate scenarios suggest that mean winter temperatures could rise by 7 to 8 C over the next 100 years in Sa´mi pasture lands, and that the snow season may be one to three months shorter (Eira et al, 2018). Herders already report more extreme and fluctuating weather, higher temperatures, later onset of winter, earlier onset of spring, rising tree lines, and shrub-growth on tundra lands as current changes to their environments (Furberg et al, 2011;Jaakkola et al, 2018;Forbes et al, 2019). These climate changes alter the Arctic snow.…”

“…Years like these are increasing in frequency. As a result of these climate changes combined with the general pressures on pasturelands, herders are increasingly forced to invest resources in artificially feeding their reindeer for them to survive the winter, and even to migrate their reindeer by truck (Riseth et al, 2010;Furberg et al, 2011;Forbes et al, 2019). The general encroachment of pasture lands further limits adaptation responses to climate changeinduced changes in snow (Eira et al, 2018).…”