Environmental assessing of reindeer herding in changing landscapes on different scales

This paper is based on an interdisciplinary analysis of reindeer management systems in the subarctic and boreal regions of Fennoscandia. The aim was to develop sustainable strategies for the future utilization of the limited natural resources in these northern regions. Here, reindeer herding is competing with powerful land use forms like forestry, energy conversion, mining, and tourism. Problems arise because the ecological conditions of the natural pastures are basic prerequisites for reindeer husbandry, and because the welfare of the reindeer herders is strongly connected to the socioeconomical circumstances in the area. Intensive land use can cause a deteoriation of natural pastures and thus, lead to losses in reindeer husbandry. The described investtigations took place in the reindeer husbandry region of northern Finland with the two herding districts of Näkkälä and Lappi, where reindeer herding traditionally has been the main form of land use. The integrative assessment consisted of comprehensive field studies, applications of remote sensing techniques, data analysis, expert interviews, and modeling. Results are designed to support sustainable decision-making in landscape management.

Keywords: Reindeer husbandry; modeling; indicators; remote sensing; sustainability