Reindeer husbandry and forestry in the reindeer herding district of Poikajärvi during the years 1963 — 1984

• Published in: Rangifer
• Main Authors: Katarina Kupiainen, Mauri Nieminen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Septentrio Academic Publishing 2010
• Subjects: reindeer; reindeer husbandry; forestry; conflicts; winter ranges; lichens; Animal culture; SF1-1100; Alectoria; Poikajärvi; Rangifer; Renskötsel
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.7557/2.6.1.567; https://doaj.org/article/2fabac2e288d4f28af89d31b79844948

Reindeer husbandry and forestry are practised in Finland in the same areas and practisers of these sources of livelihood not been able to avoid conflicts. Large clear-cutting and ploughed areas especially have diminshed the reindeer's winter ranges. In winter the reindeer digs ground lichens (Cladina spp) under the snow and when the snow surface becomes harder it begins to pasture upon arboreal lichens (Alectoria and Bryoria spp.). Fields of lichen are, however, very worn and the best forests with arboreal lichens have been cut. The area of the reindeer herding district of Poikajarvi (66°30' — 67°10'N) is 2507 km2 of which state owned land is 1474 km2 (59%). The average reindeer density (counted reindeer) of the years 1963 — 1984 has been 1.5 reindeer/km2. During the last 20 years 9.8% of the state owned land of Poikajarvi has been treated with regeneration cutting, mostly with clear-cuttings, and 10.6% with thinning cuttings. With different soil preparation methods 8.7% has been treated, most of it by ploughing. About 24% of the damp sites have been clearcut and ploughed. The estimated cutting quantity of state owned forests has continually increased since 1976 and in 1984 it was about 140 600 m3. Since 1963 the number of counted reindeer of the reindeer herding district has decreased by 60 reindeer yearly. It has varied between 4939 and 2866 reindeer. In the years 1963 — 1984 on average 1425 reindeer were slaughtered yearly. The calves' share of the slaughtered reindeer has increased and in the last few years it has been almost 80%. The average reindeer meat production has been 36 400 kg a year. In Poikajarvi supplemental feeding of reindeer has been practised since 1969. The amount of hay used for it has increased from about 5.5 kg to nearly 20 kg per counted reindeer. At the same time the number of counted and slaughtered reindeer and. meat production has decreased. Rennäringen och skogsbruket i Poikajärvis Renbeteslag under åren 1963 — 1984. Abstract in Swedish / Sammandrag: Renskötsel och skogsbruk utövas ...