Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-9pm4c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T03:58:59.925Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Managing predators, managing reindeer: contested conceptions of predator policies in Finland's southeast reindeer herding area

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2011

Hannu I. Heikkinen ,
Outi Moilanen ,
Mark Nuttall  and
Simo Sarkki
Hannu I. Heikkinen
Affiliation:
Thule Institute, P.O. Box 7300, University of Oulu, FIN-90014, Finland (Hannu.I.Heikkinen@oulu.fi)
Outi Moilanen
Affiliation:
Thule Institute, P.O. Box 7300, University of Oulu, FIN-90014, Finland (Hannu.I.Heikkinen@oulu.fi)
Mark Nuttall
Affiliation:
Department of Anthropology, 13-15 HM Tory Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, T6G 2H4, Canada and Thule Institute, P.O. Box 7300, University of Oulu, FIN-90014, Finland
Simo Sarkki
Affiliation:
Thule Institute, P.O. Box 7300, University of Oulu, FIN-90014, Finland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Preserving biodiversity and establishing healthy and thriving populations of predator animals are the expressed aims of many wildlife and ecosystem conservation projects and initiatives. However, such conservation strategies are often in conflict with the traditions, practices and land-use priorities of local communities. This article concentrates on the situation concerning the predation of reindeer (mainly by wolves) in Finland's southeast reindeer herding area and its immediate vicinity, but makes reference to the broader situation of predation and reindeer herding in Finland. Based on analysis of statistics and interviews with local stakeholders, the research findings refer to the intermingled contradictions related to conceptual, statistical and other management relevant knowledge and resulting problems, for example, in conservation hunting licensing. The article concludes that the wolf comprises a complex case for nature conservation initiatives and sustainable reindeer husbandry and that, in practice, it has particular implications compared to other policy approaches to dealing with the problem of animal predators. The article ends with some theoretical considerations as to whether we can improve our understanding of modern human-environment relations by deriving ideas from the actor-network theory debates.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , July 2011 , pp. 218 - 230
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Biersack, A., and Greenberg, J.B. (editors). 2006. Reimaging political ecology. Durham NC and London: Duke University Press.Google Scholar
Bisi, J., Kurki, S., Svensberg, M., and Liukkonen, T.. 2007. Human dimensions of wolf (Canis lupus) conflicts in Finland. European Journal of Wildlife Research 53 (4): 304–314.Google Scholar
Bosted, G., and Grahn, P.. 2008. Estimating cost functions for the four large carnivores in Sweden. Ecological Economics 68: 517–523.Google Scholar
Breitenmoser, U. 1998. Large predators in the Alps: the fall and rise of man's competitors. Biological Conservation 83 (3): 279–289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Buller, H. 2008. Safe from the wolf: biosecurity, biodiversity, and competing philosophies of nature. Environment and Planning A 40: 1583–1597.Google Scholar
Castle, S. 2008a. Finland and EU embroiled in ‘wolf wars’. The International Herald Tribune 18 January 2008. URL: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/18/europe/wolves.php (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Castle, S. 2008b. A Finnish turf battle pits wolf against reindeer herder. The New York Times 21 January 2008. URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/world/europe/21wolves.html (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Cotter, J. 2008. Alberta suspends use of strychnine to kill wolves near caribou, reviews poison. The Canadian Press 17 April 2008. URL: http://news.guelphmercury.com/Wire/article/318118 (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Daniels, S., and Walker, G.. 2001. Working through environmental conflict: the collaborative learning approach. Westport CT: Praeger.Google Scholar
Ermala, A. 2003. Survey of large predators in Finland during the 19th–20th centuries. Acta Zoologica Lituanica 13 (1): 15–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Union. 2008. Nature protection: commission sends final written warning to Hungary over bird protection laws, closes Finnish wolf hunting case. Press release IP/08/525. 3 April 2008. URL: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/525&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Finland. 2005. Management plan for the wolf population in Finland 2005. Helsinki: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 11b/2005. URL: http://wwwb.mmm.fi/jul-kaisut/julkaisusarja/2005/MMMjulkaisu2005_11b.pdf.Google Scholar
Finland. 2007. Management plan for the lynx population in Finland 2007. Helsinki: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 11b/2007. URL: http://www.mmm.fi/attach-ments/mmm/julkaisut/julkaisusarja/2007/5qK2kUQ01/1b_2007_management_plan_for_the_lynx_population_in_Finland.pdf.Google Scholar
Finland. 2008. Metsähallitus [Finnish Forests and Parks Services] 2008. URL: http://www.metsa.fi/default.asp?Section=1176 (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Finland. 2009. Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Hirvieläinten ja suurpetojen aiheuttamien vahinkojen korvaussäännökset uudistetaan [The regulations for compensating damages caused by deer animals and large carnivores are reformed]. Ministerial bulletin. 26 February 2009. Helsinki. URL: http://www.mmm.fi/fi/index/ministerio/tiedotteet/090226_riistavahinko-laki.html (accessed 9 June 2009).Google Scholar
Finnish nature league [Luonto-Liitto]. 2008. Puskurivyöhyke heikentäisi liikaa susien elinmahdollisuuksia [A buffer zone would weaken too much wolves’ living conditions]. 19 February 2008. URL: http://www.sll.fi/kainuu/susitiedote1 (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Foote, L. 2008. University of Alberta wolf study is necessary. Edmonton Journal 13 March 2008. URL: http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/letters/story.html?id=42064869-23c0-46fc-bf84-0ff-092db02df&p=1 (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Freeman, M.M.R., Hudson, R.J., and Foote, L. (editors). 2005. Conservation hunting: people and wildlife in Canada's north. Edmonton: CCI Press.Google Scholar
Glenz, C., Massolo, A., Kuonen, D., and Schlaepfer, R.. 2001. A wolf habitat suitability prediction study in Valais (Switzerland). Landscape and Urban Planning 55(1): 55–65.Google Scholar
Heberlein, T.A., and Ericsson, G.. 2003. Public attitudes and the future of wolves Canis lupus in Sweden. Wildlife Biology 14 (3): 391–394.Google Scholar
Heikkinen, H. 2002. Sopeutumisen mallit–Poronhoidon adaptaatio jälkiteolliseen toimintaympäristöön Suomen läntisellä poronhoitoalueella 1980–2000 [Adaptation models–Adaptation of reindeer herding to the post-industrial working environment in the western reindeer herding area of Finland 1980–2000]. Published PhD. dissertation. Oulu: The University of Oulu (Finnish Literature Society).Google Scholar
Heikkinen, H. 2006. Neo-entrepreneurship as an adaptation model of reindeer herding in Finland. In: Stammler, F., and Beach, H. (editors). Humans and reindeer on the move. Nomadic Peoples NS 10 (2): 187–208. URL: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/berghahn/nomp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heikkinen, H. I., Lakomäki, S., and Baldridge, J.. 2007. The dimensions of sustainability and the neo-entrepreneurial adaptation strategies in reindeer herding in Finland. The Journal of Ecological Anthropology 11: 25–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Helsingin Sanomat. 2008. Scientists baffled by disappearance of wolves from Finnish forests. Wolves have spread–or fled–into western and south-western parts of the country. Helsingin Sanomat International Edition 7 April 2008. URL: http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Scientists+baffled+by+disappearance+of+wolves+from+Finnish+forests/1135235378872 (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Hukkinen, J.I. 2008. Sustainability networks: cognitive tools for expert collaboration in social-ecological systems. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Ingold, T. 2000. The perception of the environment: essays in livelihood, dwelling and skill. Routledge. LondonGoogle Scholar
Ingold, T. 2008. When ANT meets SPIDER: social theory for arthropods. In: Knappett, C., and Malafouris, L. (editors). Material agency. New York: Springer Science plus Business Media: 209–215.Google Scholar
Kay, C. 1996. Wolf recovery, political ecology and endangered species. Oakland, CA: The Independent Institute, URL: http://www.independent.org/publications/policy_reports/detail.asp?type=full&id=6.Google Scholar
Knight, J. (editor). 2000. Natural enemies: people-wildlife conflicts in anthropological perspective. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Knight, J. 2001. Waiting for wolves in Japan: an anthropological study of people-wildlife relations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Kojola, I., Määttä, E., and Hiltunen, H.. 2006. Suurpetojen lukumäärä ja lisääntyminen vuonna 2005 [The number and reproduction of large carnivores in 2005]. Riistantutkimuksen tiedote 208, 1–5. URL: http://www.rktl.fi/www/uploads/pdf/t208.pdf.Google Scholar
Latour, B. 2005. Reassembling the social. An introduction to actor-network-theory. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Ollila, T. 2008. Maakotkaraportti 2006 [Report on golden eagles 2006]. Rovaniemi: Metsähallitus Luontopalvelut. URL: http://www.metsa.fi/binary.aspx?Section=2106&Item=6236 (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Mainio, T. 2008. Small wolf population faced with danger of inbreeding. Helsingin Sanomat International Edition. 15 April 2008. URL: http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Small+wolf+population+faced+with+danger+of+inbreeding/1135235596304 (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
McFarlane, B.L., Craig, R., Stumpf-Allen, G., and Watson, D.O.T.. 2007. Public acceptance of access restrictions to grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) country. Human Dimensions of Wildlife: 12: 283–295.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moilanen, O. 2007. Tietoa, valtaa ja erämaan petoja. Paikalliskokemuksia Kainuun susikiistasta poliittisen ekologian näkökulmasta tarkasteltuna vuosina 2005–2007 [Knowledge, power and beasts of the wilderness–political ecology concerning the predator disputes in Kainuu in 2005–2007]. Unpublished MA thesis. Oulu: University of Oulu.Google Scholar
Nadasdy, P. 2007. The gift in the animal: the ontology of hunting and human–animal sociality. American Ethnologist 34 (1): 25–43.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naughton-Treves, L., Grossberg, R., and Treves, A.. 2003. Paying for tolerance: rural citizens’ attitudes toward wolf depredation and compensation. Conservation biology 17 (6): 1500–1511.Google Scholar
Norberg, H., and Nieminen, M.. 2007. Suurpetojen vaikutus poronvasojen kuolleisuuteen Kallioluoman paliskunnassa vuosina 2005–06: [The impact of large carnivores on the mortality of semidomesticated reindeer calves in the reindeer-herding cooperative of Kallioluoma in 2005–06]. Kala- ja Riistaraportteja nro 415.Google Scholar
Pellikka, J. 2005. Management of wildlife richness in Finnish forests–interplay between game-related actors and actions. Published PhD. dissertation. Helsinki: University of Helsinki, Dept. of Applied Biology(publication 25).Google Scholar
Pellikka, J., Salmi, P., and Ratamäki, O.. 2008. Alueelliset suurpetoneuvottelukunnat ristiriitojen hallinnassa [The roles of regional large carnivore consultative committees in conflict management]. Riista-ja Kalatalous tutkimuksia 2 (URL: http://www.rktl.fi/www/uploads/pdf/uudet%20julkaisut/tutkimuksia_2_08_suurpeto_web.pdf).Google Scholar
Philo, C., and Wilbert, C. (editors). 2000. Animal spaces, beastly places: new geographies of human-animal relations. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Rantamäki-Lahtinen, L. (editor). 2008. Porotalouden taloudelliset menestystekijät [Economic success factors of the reindeer husbandry]. MTTn selvityksiä 156. [MTT Agrifood Research 156]. URL: http://www.mtt.fi/mtts/pdf/mtts156.pdf (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Ratamäki, O. 2008. Finland's Wolf Policy and New Governance. Journal of Environment and Development 17 (3): 316–339.Google Scholar
Ratamäki, O. 2009. Yhteiskunnallinen kestävyys ja hallinta suomalaisessa susipolitiikassa [Societal sustainability and governance in Finland's wolf policy] (abstract in English). Yhteiskuntatieteellisiä julkaisuja nro 94. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation. Jyväskylä: University of Jyväskylä (Yhteiskuntatieteellisiä julkaisuja nro 94).Google Scholar
Reindeer Herders’ Association. 2008. URL: http://www.paliskunnat.fi/default.aspx?kieli=en-US (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
RKTL (Riista-ja kalatalouden tutkimuslaitos) [Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute]. 2007. Kainuun susilaskenta onnistui hyvin [The wolf counting in Kainuu was successful. RKTL Bulletin 30 March 2007. URL: http://www.rktl.fi/tiedotteet/kainuun_susilaskenta_onnistui.html (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
RKTL (Riista-ja kalatalouden tutkimuslaitos) [Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute]. 2008. Karhukanta runsastunut, susia aiempaa vähemmä [Bears are more abundant, fewer wolves]. RKTL Bulletin 3 June 2008. URL: http://www.rktl.fi/tiedotteet/karhukanta_runsastunut_susia.html (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Robbins, P. 2004. Political ecology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing (Critical introductions to geography).Google Scholar
Sandström, C., Pellikka, J., Ratamäki, O., and Allan, S.. 2009. Management of large carnivores in Fennoscandia: new patterns of regional participation. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 14 (1): 37–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schwartz, C.C., Swenson, J.E., and Miller, S.D.. 2003. Large carnivores, moose, and humans: a changing paradigm of predator management in the 21st century. ALCES 39: 41–63.Google Scholar
Seeskorpi, P. 2008. Poroyrittäjä puurtaa pienellä tuntipalkalla [Reindeer entrepreneur works with poor salary]. Kaleva 18 April 2008. URL: http://www.kaleva.fi/plus/juttu723770_page0.htm (accessed 20 November 2008).Google Scholar
Sjölander-Lindqvist, A. 2009. Social-natural landscape reorganised: Swedish forest-edge farmers and wolf recovery. Conservation and Society 7 (2): 130–140.Google Scholar
Sippola, A-L., Norberg, H., Renko, M., Suopajärvi, K., and Sutinen T., T. 2005. Petovahinkojen sosioekonominen merkitys porotaloudelle Suomessa– loppuraportti [The socioeconomic impacts of predator caused damages for reindeer herding in Finland, final report]. Arktisen keskuksen tiedotteita [Arctic Centre Reports] 44/2005.Google Scholar
Skogen, K., Mauz, I., and Krange, O.. 2008. Cry wolf!: narratives of wolf recovery in France and Norway. Rural Sociology 73 (1): 105–133.Google Scholar
Thompson, J.G. 1993. Addressing the human dimensions of wolf reintroduction: an example using estimates of livestock depredation and costs of compensation. Society and Natural Resources 6: 165–179.Google Scholar
Wenzel, G.W. 2009. Subsistence and conservation hunting: a Nunavut case study. In: Freeman, M.M.R., and Foote, L. (editors). Inuit, polar bears and sustainable use: local, national, and international perspectives. Edmonton: CCI Press.Google Scholar