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Sustainable Reindeer Husbandry Summary Report

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Sustainable Reindeer Husbandry Summary Report SUSTAINABLE REINDEER HUSBANDRY SUMMARY REPORT Johnny-Leo L. Jernsletten Project Manager University of Tromsø Konstantin Klokov Russian Co-ordinator St. Petersburg State University Arctic Council 2000 - 2002 SUSTAINABLE REINDEER HUSBANDRY SUMMARY REPORT The project “Sustainable Reindeer Husbandry” was held in Kautokeino, Norway, in March 2000 under approved by the Arctic Council as a project under the the heading “Sustainable reindeer herding and hus- Sustainable Development Programme at the Ministe- bandry”. The chairmen’s summary from the workshop rial meeting in Barrow, Alaska, in October 2000. The states: aim of the project is to assess circumpolar reindeer “The Arctic Council should initiate a project to herding and husbandry in relation to economic and survey the situation in the reindeer husbandry indus- social/cultural sustainability. This is done by carrying try. Such a project would have to consider the differ- out a thematic survey and assessment of reindeer hus- ent aspects of reindeer husbandry and be carried out bandry in the Arctic region (Norway, Sweden, Fin- in collaboration with the Association of World Rein- land, Alaska and Russia). deer Herders.” The main objectives of the Sustainable Reindeer Hus- The formal start-up for the project was October 1st bandry project are: 2000, and the project period is until 31st of December • Describe and analyse the present situation with 2002. regard to economic and social conditions • Describe and analyse the present situation with Organisational structure regard to national management of reindeer hus- The project has been headed by an international steer- bandry ing committee. The members of the steering commit- • Describe and analyse the present situation with tee have been: regard to current legislation in the reindeer hus- • Jan Tore Holvik, Senior Arctic Official and ambas- bandry sador, The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Head of the Steering Committee) Origin of the project • Dag Lenvik, Deputy director, The Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture (Until 31.12.2001) At the first ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council, in Iqaluit Canada, the former Norwegian foreign min- • Sigurd Svela, Senior Executive Officer, The Norwe- ister Knut Vollebæk, focused on different Arctic indus- gian Ministry of Agriculture (From 01.01.2002) tries (oil & gas, fisheries, and reindeer herding) and • Johan-Klemet Kalstad, Director, Nordic Saami how these industries are related to sustainable devel- Institute, Kautokeino opment. Vollebæk stated that Norway would initiate • Johan-Mathis Turi, President, Association of international workshops within these themes. The World Reindeer Herders, Tromsø workshop, which discussed reindeer husbandry, was 1 Sustainable Reindeer Husbandry • Tatjana S. Nikolajeva, Senior Consultant, The often raised question occurs from persons outside the Russian Ministry of Agriculture industry: how much consideration should be taken to • Vasilij. A. Zabrodin, chairman of the coordina- protect and safeguard this industry against other inter- tion team for the North-Western sector of Acad- ests in the society? In accordance with international emy of Agriculture Sciences, St. Petersburg legislation, the fundamental viewpoint of this report is that reindeer husbandry forms a “way-of-life” more • Nina Hellström, The Finnish Ministry of Agricul- than a “way-of-production”. A loss of this industry ture and Forestry will not only mean a loss of reindeer meat and other The project manager, Johnny-Leo L. Jernsletten, products to a market, it will also mean a loss of many located at the Centre for Saami Studies, University of Arctic cultures. Tromsø, heads the day-to-day work. He is responsible The interviews conducted for this report with for the scientific work of the project and for the prepa- the reindeer herders, reindeer owners and other per- ration of the project report. A Russian co-ordinator, sons connected to the industry, has clearly shown Konstantin Klokov, located at the Institute of Geogra- us that the self-esteem and self-respect of the people phy, St.Petersburg State University, has also been full- involved in reindeer husbandry is strong, even increas- time employed in the project. The project manager ing, despite the fact that the industry in some areas is and the russian co-ordinator have worked as the secre- fighting to survive. This is the case in the eastern part tariat for the International Steering Committee. of Russia, the western part of Alaska and the develo- Collection of data pent in the southern part of Sweden is not optimistic. Still the reindeer owners, herders and their families do The project has collected the latest available national not want to give up. This is a strong message from the statistics about reindeer husbandry, management plans, industry, and we would like to emphazise this in the assessments for predators, documents about the differ- report. ent national management policy and scientific papers The point could be illustrated by some of the about the development in reindeer husbandry. In questions put forward in a questionnaire answered by addition to this written material, a set of interviews Swedish reindeer owners back in 1998. We let three of with reindeer herders and owners, bureaucrats and the questions illustrate our point: researchers in Sweden, Finland, Russia, Alaska and The first question: Norway, have been accomplished. Several field trips “How did you become involved in reindeer hus- have been undertaken to different parts of Russia, bandry?” Alaska, Norway, Sweden and Finland during the The answers were divided into five alternatives, and period May 2001 to April 2002. most responses were Based on this material and the results of the field “Reindeer husbandry is my biggest interest” and trips the present situation in the circumpolar reindeer “My parents were reindeer owners. It was natural to be husbandry has been described and analysed. The like them”. description is organised around four main themes: The second question: a) National management of reindeer husbandry, b) “Where do you obtain knowledge and inspiration in Economy connected to household/family/community your reindeer husbandry?” level, c) External conditions that affect reindeer hus- This time there were seven alternatives. The top two bandry and d) Legislation. were: “From other reindeer owners in the same situation as The Basis for the Report myself” and The reindeer industry is an important part of the soci- “From older and more skilled reindeer owners through eties in Russia, Alaska, Norway, Sweden and Finland, traditional knowledge”. but a rather “invisible” part in comparison to other The third question: industries. At the same time, this “invisible” industry “Which are the positive aspects of being a reindeer is an area intensive industry dependent on huge graz- herder?” ing grounds. Six alternatives were given, and again the top two Relatively speaking, and according to different were: national statistics, a small number of people are con- “To be a reindeer owner is part of my tradition” and nected to the industry. In connection with this an “The satisfaction when the reindeer are healthy and well”. 2 Summary Report Reindeer husbandry is an important part of life for the crete action with a herd, or as a description of persons owners and their families. Some will even say “it is our working with the herd, without any ownership to the life”. animals. Reindeer management is used in the descrip- But reindeer husbandry is also important to per- tion of different herding systems. Reindeer husbandry sons outside the industry – it provides raw material for is used as a general term for the families living of the handycrafts and is a common symbol of identity for animals, or having a close relationship to the animals indigenous peoples in the north. Reindeer husbandry through different kinds of ownership. makes up one of several important parts of what we in a generic term call “arctic cultures”, and without reindeer husbandry, all these cultures will experience severe losses of tradition. Russia The report will also show the exceptional diversity found inside the reindeer industry in the circumpolar Introduction area. All the reindeer herding societies in this area are Reindeer husbandry is the basis of the cultures of by no means a homogeneous mass that will react in many northern indigenous peoples, allowing them to one particular way to external pressures, or changed live in harmony with the extremely severe natural con- market conditions for that matter, but must be con- ditions of the Far North. In Russia indigenous peoples sidered equally heterogeneous as groups found in any have various traditions, and wide experiences of rein- other society. This is an important point that also will deer husbandry in a diversity of landscapes; in tundra, be confirmed through the report. This is a point that forest-tundra, taiga and mountain areas. For many Flanders emphasises in connection with the opening peoples the reindeer economy is the major factor of of the Northern Sea Route: “Perhaps the most impor- ethnic consolidation. Without it, they would already tant suggestion made in the Alaskan material is that have been assimilated into the dominant society. indigenous groups will not be affected uniformly. [...] Representatives of 18 ethnic peoples are today Indigenous groups should not be treated as a single engaged in reindeer husbandry in Russia. 16 of these mass, all affected the same way.” peoples are on the official list of indigenous small-
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