Här listas länkar och bloggar om forskning, utveckling och kunskap om samer. Här blandas språk. Det finns mycket intressant skrivet om samer på engelska.
Universitetsuppsatser
På webbplatsen http://www.uppsatser.se/om/samer kan man ta fram uppsatser med samiskt tema. Exempel:
- Den frånvarande samen : en studie av åtta läroböcker och deras framställning av samernas religion
- Kan samisk traditionell kunskap överföras till en ny tid i den samiska förskolan, och i så fall hur?
- En museilärares perspektiv : ett pedagogiskt utvecklingsarbete kring Skansens samiska informationsprojekt 2004-2006
Våra vänner i Sami Siida of North America ständigt bevakar vad som händer i Sapmi och gör det tillgängligt på engelska, på webbplatsen Arran. Denna direktlänk ger bl a en sammanställning av vetenskapliga och akademiska arbeten på engelska.
Resource Centre for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples är en viktig källa för kunskap om samer och urfolk. Webbplatsen är tillgänglig även på samiska och norska. Tidskrifter och manualer finns tillgängliga i pdf-format.
http://www.ookpik.orgArctic youthär en portal för arktiska nätverk, kunskap, åsikter och evenemang.
Kunskapen om samer i skolan
Vi vet att den är dålig och många har synpunkter på den. En av våra yngre medlemmar, Mathias Forsgren, har skrivit ett specialarbete i gymnasiet och har “ett inifrån perspektiv” med nyvunna erfarenheter om hur det är beställt i skolan.
Läs hans arbete Undervisning om det samiska i de svenska skolorna och en kort historik om samer givs i bilagan till specialarbetet – Historik, kortfattad samisk historia.
Bloggosfären:
- Lis-Marie Hjortfors, etnolog
- Arran, Sami culture and news blogg
- Indigenous Peoples at the Arctic Council
- www.reindeerblog.org
Bloggarna:
Árran » A case for Sápmi's Clouseau
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Reindeer Blog » Herders, Farmers Threaten to Shoot Reindeer From Norway
Farmers and herders in Northern Finland have threatened to shoot reindeer from Norway. “Between December 2009 and May 2010, we have set up a tent, and sent back about 4200 Norwegian reindeer, ” said Assistant Police Chief in Peräpohjola police in Finland, Ossi Hyvönen. Hyvönen estimated the damage to pastures to be as much as 120,000 Euros, just under 1 Million NOK, according to a reports NRK Radio. “In particular the farmers are very angry. If we have no choice, we may have to shoot some reindeer before the reindeer owners on the Norwegian side pay attention. More fences on the Norwegian side of the border were discussed as being a solution the issue. Source: NRK
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News from arctic-council.org » Biodiversity Trends: The Polar Bear
‘Arctic Biodiversity Trends – 2010: Selected Indicators of Change’, the Arctic Council/CAFF report synthesizing scientific findings on the status and trends for selected biodiversity in the Arctic, was launched earlier this year. It has one chapter on Polar Bears, and the findings from this chapter are summarized below. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Inuit Leaders Meet in Nuuk, Greenland
Greenland hosts the World's Inuit Leaders in Nuuk, June 28 – July 2, 2010. The Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), one of the 6 Permanent Participants in the Arctic Council, holds its General Assembly in Nuuk, Greenland, from June 28 to July 2. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » EPPR Meeting in Vorkuta
Emercom of the Russian Federation hosted the annual meeting of the Emergency Prevention, Preparedness and Response (EPPR) Working Group of the Arctic Council in Vorkuta, Russia, which took place June 16-18. [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Gazprom and Statoil Sign Sci-Tech Agreement
The two Shtokman partners to expand cooperation through a sci-tech cooperation program.
Today within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2010 Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee and Peter Mellbye, Executive Vice President of Statoil signed an Agreement on Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
Pursuant to the Agreement, the parties will in such areas as geological exploration and development of hydrocarbon fields; hydrocarbons production and treatment before transportation; technologies and equipment for the hydrocarbons transportation; environmental protection of the Northern seas and territories; Health, Safety and Environment issues under northern conditions; energy saving; renewable energy sources; gas processing; project management and corporate governance.
According to the document Gazprom and Statoil will compile a Sci-Tech Cooperation Program to be adjusted every 1 to 3 years for the purpose of joint efforts coordination.
Background
Gazprom and Statoil are partners in Phase 1 of the Shtokman gas and condensate field development.
In June 2009, Gazprom and Statoil signed the Memorandum of Understanding. The document provides for joint activities of the companies in the area of exploration, development and production of hydrocarbon resources in northern regions.
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Reindeer Blog » Yamal Reindeer Meat to Finland..
Finland’s largest processor of reindeer meat, Lapin Liha, is to begin to import reindeer meat from the Yamal Peninsula.
This will signal the first time that Yamal reindeer meat is imported to a country that already has a domestic reindeer meat industry.
Lapin Liha stated to the media that this was necessary as there was simply not enough reindeer meat supply in the market in Finland to meet their production goals of 40,000 reindeer per year. Currently they are processing around 24000 per year, 3000 of which come from Sweden.
Lapin Liha plan to import 200-250,000 kilos per year, all of which will come from the EU certified slaughterhouse in Yar-Sale, which was constructed by the Finnish company Kometos Oy.
Read the news release here on the Lapin Liha site.
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Reindeer Blog » ‘Wind turbines set out to conquer Sweden’s great north’ AP
MARKBYGDEN, Sweden, By Marc Preel (AFP) — While community opposition often blocks or hampers new wind power projects, Sweden has managed to break ground for Europe’s largest wind park counting more than 1,000 giant turbines, with barely a whisper of protest.
The secret? The giant Markbygden wind farm — covering more than 500 square kilometres, or the equivalent of five times the size of Paris — is being built in a virtually uninhabited, desolate stretch of Sweden’s great north.
“If I were to try the same thing in Germany, it would take me 20 years to get everyone’s agreement,” Wolfgang Kropp, the German head of the project, told AFP.
Standing on the shores of the Baltic Sea at the Piteaa harbour near the wind park site, he added: “For the same area, you would have 10,000 land owners. Here there are three.
“That’s why we came here to Sweden in search of a good location,” he said.
“In the south of the country, it is very difficult. There are farms, and vacation homes. Here in the north, there is no one,” he said.
Kropp’s company Svevind, a client of German wind power giant Enercon, is leading the construction of the park, with 1,101 wind turbines scheduled to be built by 2022.
They should then produce energy equivalent to the production of two nuclear reactors.
The site stretches across a vast area covered with dense pine forests interspersed with scattered villages of just a handful of brightly painted wooden houses.
They are surrounded by silence broken only by the occasional car or a fighter jet from a neighbouring base screaming past on a training mission.
The giant wind park is widely popular here.
The main forestry, paper and metals industries in the region are facing new environmental and climate regulations requiring them to significantly shrink their carbon footprints by 2020.
That is something a change in energy dependence should help with.
“We want to turn this region into a new centre of green energy production,” said Robert Bergman of Solander Science Park, a scientific laboratory in Piteaa studying among other things the potential of wood and paper-based fuels.
The wind park project “is an obvious asset,” he added.
It is also viewed by many as a new source of income and an incentive for people to stay on in the surrounding, increasingly deserted villages.
Despite the sparse population around the park site, there are nevertheless some dissenting voices.
Most opposition comes from the indigenous Samis, who fear the towering turbines will heavily encroach on their reindeer grazing areas, already significantly hit by forestry and tourism in the area.
In late April, the local Sami council refused a compensation package of 5,000 kronor (520 euros, 630 dollars) per turbine and per year, or a total of more than five million kronor each year after the entire park has been built.
“We say no. The amount does not correspond to the problems that this will cause and the threat it poses to our herds,” Anders Ruth, who heads up the local council in Oestra Kikkejaure, said.
“The same number of reindeer will have to be fed in a much smaller area that will be much more developed,” she added.
“This will not work and it is not possible to find other grazing grounds.” About a quarter of the local Sami grazing areas would be affected by the park, Ruth said.
In an attempt to appease the criticism, the project developers have stressed they will not fence in the area, but some 600 kilometres of new roads through the dense forests will in any case dramatically shrink the area where the reindeer are free to roam.
Svevind says it understands the reindeer owners concerns, but that there is no better alternative location for the park.
“It’s true, the paper industry has already taken their forests, the dams have already taken their rivers, the mines have taken what’s underground. And now it’s the wind turbine,” said Mikael Kyrk, a Swedish Svevind executive.
“But at the same time, that’s the way development works.”
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Reindeer Blog » Wild Reindeer in Finland Under Threat
Finland’s rare wild forest reindeer may be facing total extinction, says the Finnish Hunters` Association. The group is calling for Finland and the EU to jointly protect the wild reindeer by further regulating the population of large predators.
The sharp drop in the number of wild Finnish forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennicus) is attributed to the growing numbers of wolves, lynx and bears that prey upon them. The Hunters` Association is calling for more permits to hunt these predators in parts of the country where they threaten wild reindeer.
In Kainuu, in the northwest, the wild forest reindeer population has decline by half over the past decade. Counts now give an estimate of only about 800 of the animals left there. In addition to the wild forest reindeer in Kainuu, there are about 1000 in the old-growth forest areas of west-central Finland.
The wild Finnish forest reindeer are the last population of their species in the world.
Source – YLE
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Reindeer Blog » First Female Head of Finnish Reindeer Herders Association Elected: Notes Challenges to Reindeer Husbandry
On Sunday Anne Ollila became the first woman to head the Reindeer Herders’ Association of Finland.
Both she and the reindeer herding sector face great challenges, writes the daily Lapin Kansa:
“The challenges are not insurmountable because a Finn never leaves a reindeer in the lurch. Lapland wouldn’t be Lapland without reindeers.
The reindeer herding sector will continue to be important for the economy of the north, which serves not only its own people but because of rising tourism also a growing number of customers.
For the future it is vital that reindeers and reindeer meat continue to enjoy an excellent reputation. In a world of green values it’s good to stress that reindeers which grow up surrounded by clean nature leave behind smaller ecological footprints than other ruminants.”
Source – Baltic Review
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News from arctic-council.org » Arctic Social Indicators
The report "Arctic Social Indicators- a follow-up to the Arctic Human Development Report" was recently finalized and published by The Nordic Council of Ministers. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Arctic Council at the IPY-OSC
The International Polar Year- Oslo Science Conference is taking place in Oslo, Norway, in the period 8-12 June. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Rapid Changes in the Arctic
The report "Arctic Biodiversity Assessment – Arctic Biodiversity Trends 2010: Selected indicators of change" is being launched at the IPY Oslo Science Conference. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Conference of Arctic Parliamentarians
The Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Chair of the Arctic Council, Ms. Lene Espersen, was attending a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Conference of Arctic Parliamentarians (SCPAR) on June 7th. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Deputy Ministers’ Meeting in the Arctic Council, 27 May 2010
Information from the Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials: For the first time in the history of the Arctic Council a meeting was held between Deputy Ministers in Copenhagen on 27 May 2010. The meeting was a part of the Danish Chairmanship programme in the Arctic Council, which will conclude at the Ministerial Meeting in May 2011. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Rapid Changes for Arctic Flora and Fauna
The report ‘The Arctic Biodiversity Trends – 2010: Selected Indicators of Change’, was presented in Copenhagen recently. The report is synthesizing scientific findings on the status and trends for selected biodiversity in the Arctic, and is issued by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group under the Arctic Council. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Arctic Council Deputy Ministers’ Meeting
Denmark hosts the first deputy ministers meeting in the Arctic Council ever [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Iceland’s Reindeer and the Volcano…
While the world has heard a lot about the impact of the Icelandic volcano on air traffic and the economy, what about its impact on Iceland’s reindeer?
In the last few weeks, the world could hardly have failed to have heard about the Icelandic volcano with the difficult to pronounce (for non Icelandic speakers) name. Air traffic has been disrupted across Europe and airlines have lost over a billion dollars in lost revenue. The impact on the regions climate is unclear but has been the topic of much speculation.
The Reindeer Portal contacted Iceland’s reindeer expert Skarphéðinn G. Þórisson of the Náttúrustofa Austurlands (East Iceland Natural History Institute), in Egilsstadir for an update of the impact of the volcano on the country’s reindeer. Read the full article here on the Reindeer Portal.
(Photo by Ólafur Sigurjónsson)
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Reindeer Blog » ВОСЕМЬСОТ КИЛОГРАММОВ РОГОВ
Каковы реальные объемы браконьерства в Карелии?
На российско-литовской границе задержали петрозаводских предпринимателей, пытавшихся незаконно вывезти более 800 (!) килограммов рогов северных оленей.
Произошло это на карельской таможне, где нарушители оформляли разрешение на экспорт рогов лося и их лома. Как рассказали нам в пресс-службе карельской таможни, у их сотрудников сразу возникло подозрение, что только рогами лося тут дело не ограничится. Но производить “усиленный” досмотр груза наши таможенники не стали, они сообщили о своих подозрениях коллегам на пропускном пункте Бурачки в Псковской области. Так нарушителей удалось задержать с поличным. В фургоне их грузовика обнаружилось 495 единиц рогов оленей и даже несколько рогов барана. Понятное дело, эти товары никак не были задекларированы, никаких документов на них не было. Вся история усугубилась еще и тем, что несколько недель назад в Лоухском районе браконьеры расстреляли 14 северных оленей, занесенных в Красную книгу Карелии. Если опасения карельских таможенников подтвердятся, то реальный размах браконьерства и убийства северных оленей в Карелии шокирует.
– Сейчас идет экспертиза рогов, – объясняют в пресс-службе карельской таможни. – Охотоведы нам объяснили, что в Карелии добывать северных оленей запрещено, а вот в Якутии и Мурманской области их можно отстреливать. Так что нам сейчас нужно установить, принадлежат или нет конфискованные рога карельским северным оленям.
Если да, то нарушители не ограничатся только штрафом, будет идти речь и об уголовном деле.
Оказывается, на вывоз даже пары рогов северных оленей нужно иметь лицензию, которую выдают специалисты ветеринарного контроля Россельхознадзора РК.
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Reindeer Blog » Reindeer Antler Smugglers Caught
A group of businessmen from the Republic of Karelia in April unsuccessful tried to smuggle 800 kg of reindeer horns from Russia to Latvia.
The smugglers where caught by customs officers in Pskov Oblast near the border to Latvia. In the truck, the customs officers found 495 units of reindeer horn with a total weight of more than 800 kg. The goods had no customs declaration, nor any other documentation, weekly newspaper Karelskaya Gubernya reports
The revealed smuggling attempt might indicate large-scale reindeer poaching in Karelia, regional authorities say. Specialists now investigate whether the horns stem from Karelia or from the neighboring Murmansk Oblast.
While reindeer hunting is strictly forbidden in Karelia, Murmansk Oblast has a functioning reindeer industry operated primarily by the indigenous Sami population. Several thousand reindeer use the rich pasture lands of the Kola Peninsula. Source: Barents Observer
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Reindeer Blog » Yamal Reindeer Blood to China?
The preserved blood of reindeer could become a promising area of cooperation between Russia’s Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area and China, a deputy governor of the region in Russia’s Far North said Sunday.
The Yamal-Nenets area, “Russia’s outpost in the Arctic,” became the first of Russian regions to present itself at the international exhibition World Expo 2010 that opened in Shanghai on Saturday.
The deputy governor, Andrei Kugayevsky, responsible for his area’s agroindustrial sector, told RIA Novosti that China showed interest in receiving preserved reindeer blood.
“China is likely to be the main consumer of preserved reindeer blood as they actively use biostimulants it contains,” he also said.
Kugayevsky said blood preservation makes it possible to produce various substances used in pharmacology.
The 2010 World Expo fair is to run from May 1 to October 31. Some 70 million visitors are expected to attend the event.
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Reindeer Blog » Reindeer Breeding First in Fairbanks
(Source: SitNews) – Thursday’s birth of a 10-pound male reindeer calf at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm made worldwide agricultural history: It marks the culmination of the first documented successful pregnancy of a reindeer by artificial insemination using frozen-and-thawed semen.
The calf appeared at 3 p.m. on April 22, as University of Alaska Fairbanks Reindeer Research Program herdsman Rob Aikman worked nearby. He noticed the calf’s mother, a 2 1/2-year-old named Lightning, was having difficulty and went to assist. As he tugged on the calf, he noticed its heart was beating but that the calf was not breathing. After Aikman performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the calf was fine.
In September, seven females were artificially inseminated with frozen semen shipped from Canada. Once in Fairbanks, it was thawed and a veterinarian performed the necessary technique. Six pregnancies did not take.
“This is a first and it’s a small step,” said Milan Shipka, an animal scientist at the UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, which runs the Reindeer Research Program. “We will work to get the bugs out so it will become a tool for reindeer producers.”
He said the procedure allows reindeer owners to move genetics over great distances without having to move live animals. The Reindeer Research Program is dedicated to the study of reindeer: researching meat science, range management and animal health. The applied science is then shared with reindeer producers.
“We are absolutely excited,” said Shipka, who is also a livestock specialist with UAF Cooperative Extension Service. “Janice Rowell and I have been taking steps to get here and we really appreciate the assistance of the Reindeer Research Program. This is just the beginning.”
(SitNews) – Thursday’s birth of a 10-pound male reindeer calf at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm made worldwide agricultural history: It marks the culmination of the first documented successful pregnancy of a reindeer by artificial insemination using frozen-and-thawed semen.
 Lightning, a female reindeer at the Fairbanks Experiment Farm, rests with her newborn calf on Thursday, April 22 at the farm on the UAF campus. Photo by PJ Soden |
The calf appeared at 3 p.m. on April 22, as University of Alaska Fairbanks Reindeer Research Program herdsman Rob Aikman worked nearby. He noticed the calf’s mother, a 2 1/2-year-old named Lightning, was having difficulty and went to assist. As he tugged on the calf, he noticed its heart was beating but that the calf was not breathing. After Aikman performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the calf was fine.
In September, seven females were artificially inseminated with frozen semen shipped from Canada. Once in Fairbanks, it was thawed and a veterinarian performed the necessary technique. Six pregnancies did not take.
“This is a first and it’s a small step,” said Milan Shipka, an animal scientist at the UAF School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, which runs the Reindeer Research Program. “We will work to get the bugs out so it will become a tool for reindeer producers.”
He said the procedure allows reindeer owners to move genetics over great distances without having to move live animals. The Reindeer Research Program is dedicated to the study of reindeer: researching meat science, range management and animal health. The applied science is then shared with reindeer producers.
“We are absolutely excited,” said Shipka, who is also a livestock specialist with UAF Cooperative Extension Service. “Janice Rowell and I have been taking steps to get here and we really appreciate the assistance of the Reindeer Research Program. This is just the beginning.”
[Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials met in Ilulissat Greenland 28-29 April 2010
Fruitful meeting in the magnificent surroundings of Ilulissat [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Принят закон об этнологической экспертизе в местах проживания коренных малочисленных народов Севера
Пресс-служба Государственного Собрания (Ил Тумэн) Республики Саха (Якутия) сообщает, что депутаты парламента приняли в ходе XVI пленарного заседания республиканский закон об этнологической экспертизе в местах традиционного проживания и традиционной хозяйственной деятельности коренных малочисленных народов Севера.
Данный документ является законодательной инициативой группы народных депутатов республики – Виктора Губарева, Александра Крылова, Юрия Дойникова, Дмитрия Горохова, Андрея Кривошапкина, Сергея Ларионова, Елены Голомаревой, Семена Иванова. Как сообщил председатель постоянного комитета по проблемам Арктики и коренных малочисленных народов Севера Виктор Губарев, понятие «этнологическая экспертиза» в российское законодательство было введено в 1999 году федеральным законом «О гарантиях прав коренных малочисленных народов Российской Федерации».
«Но порядок проведения этнологической экспертизы, ее методы и критерии федеральными законами так до сих пор и не установлены», – отметил депутат. По его словам, новый закон принят в целях предотвращения и предупреждения негативных воздействий намечаемой хозяйственной и иной деятельности на исконную среду обитания, традиционного образа жизни, хозяйствования и промыслов, социально-экономического и культурного развития коренных малочисленных народов Севера Якутии.
Этнологическая экспертиза определена как научное исследование влияния изменений исконной среды обитания малочисленных народов и социально-культурной ситуации на развитие этноса.
«Смета расходов, порядок использования финансовых средств на проведение этнологической экспертизы утверждается правительством Якутии на основе предложений уполномоченного органа исполнительной власти. Уполномоченный орган может выполнять комплексный анализ демографической ситуации, социально-экономического положения и устойчивости этнокультурной среды групп коренного населения, проживающих в зоне потенциального воздействия промышленного освоения», – сказал Виктор Губарев.
По его словам, этнологическая экспертиза отражает не только оценку воздействия промышленного освоения на сообщества коренного и местного населения, но и рекомендации по осуществлению долгосрочных программ социально-экономической реабилитации коренных малочисленных народов Севера, образовательных программ, программ по сохранению культурного наследия, созданию фонда будущих поколений.
«Председатель правительства РФ Владимир Путин 28 августа 2009 года подписал распоряжение о плане мероприятий по реализации в 2009-2011 годах Концепции устойчивого развития коренных малочисленных народов Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока. Первым пунктом в этом документе указана разработка проекта нормативного правового акта о возмещении убытков, причиненных коренным малочисленным народам в результате нанесения хозяйственной деятельностью ущерба их исконной среде обитания», – отметил депутат.
Он также добавил, что в принятии данного республиканского закона заинтересован комитет Совета Федерации по делам Севера и коренных малочисленных народов. «Есть предпосылки, что наш закон станет основой для принятия соответствующего федерального закона», – сообщил Виктор Губарев.
Источник: Пресс-служба Ил Тумэна
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Reindeer Blog » Evenkia Dam Project Postponed
The Moscow Times informed that “RusHydro” will not decide on whether to build a dam in Evenkia this year, the company said Friday, after the project was lambasted at public hearings in Krasnoyarsk.
The Energy Ministry has finished work on the 2020 general plan of power generation, which predicts a growth in annual power consumption of up to 3.1 percent through 2030, Prime-Tass reported Thursday. A ministry representative said last week that the Evenkia dam was not included in the plan, which is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval this summer.
Removal of the $21 billion Evenkia dam from the government’s official plan would once again put a hold on the controversial project, which met with fierce resistance from local residents and environmentalists.
Regional lawmakers and scientists discussed the dam Wednesday in the Krasnoyarsk legislative assembly, which said RusHydro had not sufficiently researched the consequences of constructing the dam and asked the government to look into alternative energy sources, according to the draft resolution. RusHydro did not attend the hearing.
Project of Evenki Hydropower Station in Krasnoyarskiy Krai
The construction would flood about 1 million hectares of the unique deciduous forests and pastures traditionally used by the Evenki reindeer herders and hunters. It would also flood a chamber that contains the radioactive brine left as a result of at least one of the underground nuclear explosions fired in the Lower Tunguska’s floodplain in 1970s.
The hydropower construction can bring to the population of Evenkia: destruction of the key traditional nature use territories; flood of the settlements including Tura, the capital of Evenkia; impossibility of navigation of the Lower Tunguska, which means a destruction of the transport system; huge influx of strange population that is well-known for its destructive influence on the indigenous peoples’ life. 
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Reindeer Blog » У домашних оленей Якутии демографический взрыв
На сайте информационного агентства ИА SAKHALIFE.RU опубликована информация о состоянии оленеводства в Якутии. Домашнее оленеводство республики в последние годы развивается очень динамично: растет поголовье оленей, стабилизируются показатели сохранности оленей и тугутов. Основой положительной динамики развития отрасли стало комплексное решение проблем, начиная от производственных и заканчивая решением вопросов социальной направленности. О том, как идет работа в отрасли, об предварительных итогах зимовки, начальных цифрах отела важенок рассказал руководитель департамента традиционных отраслей Севера Минсельхоза Якутии Иван ПАВЛОВ.
- Иван Петрович, каково сегодня поголовье оленей в республике – следствие напряженного и активного труда оленеводов?
– По данным территориального органа Федеральной службы государственной статистики по Республике Саха (Якутия) оленеводческие хозяйства всех категорий республики 2010 год производственную деятельность начали с выходным поголовьем – 200861 оленей, в том числе важенок и сыриц – 92786 голов (удельный вес – 46,1 %). По сравнению с 2008 годом за 2009 год увеличение поголовья составило 5,4 %. В прошлом 2009 году деловой выход тугутов составил в среднем по республике около 56,5 % или было получено 49911 тугутов, увеличение составило 2,5 %, показатель сохранности взрослого поголовья в среднем составил 85,4 %.
По оперативным данным управлений сельского хозяйства районов на 1 апреля с. г. поголовье оленей во всех категориях хозяйств составляет 188683 голов, это 93,9 % по сравнению с началом года и 106,0 % по сравнению с соответствующим периодом 2009 года. Один из важнейших показателей – маточное поголовье, к текущему периоду имеем 85743 важенок, или это чуть менее всей структуры стада (45,4 %).
С таким поголовьем мы вступили в 2010 год, по итогам I квартала подведены промежуточные итоги. Недавно прошла корализация – одно из наиболее ответственных работ оленеводом, когда уточняется не просто поголовье, но и состояние оленей, другие важнейшие аспекты работы. Так, по итогам 1 квартала выяснили, что оленепоголовье с начала года уменьшилось на 6,1 %, это средний показатель данного периода. Непроизводительный отход оленей за отчетный период составил 3,4 % (6876 гол.), наибольшие потери приходятся на потери – 4459, травеж – 1627 и падеж – 796 оленей.
Наибольшее число непроизводительного отхода оленей отмечено в хозяйствах Томпонского – 7,6 % (1488), Булунского – 11,1 % (1956), Оленекского – 7,3 % (351) и Олекминского – 7,4% (288). Вместе с тем, наибольшее число травежа оленей, от 100 до 170 голов, отмечено в хозяйствах Томпонского и Момского районов. По данным специалистов оленеводческих хозяйств причиной травежа оленей стала активизация волков на участках, малоснежность на маршрутах стад, что затрудняет охоту на волков наземным путем, запрет на использование яда и неэффективность использования капкана при малой толщине снежного покрова.
Основной проблемой зимовки стало то, что по Якутии выпало мало снега, что расширило ареал выпаса оленей, олени истощены, и как всегда, растет численность волков.
- Хозяйства каких форм сегодня работают в оленеводстве и сколько в них оленей содержится?
– Сегодня оленеводством занимаются 110 оленеводческих хозяйств, в том числе 7 государственных унитарных предприятий, 11 муниципальных унитарных предприятий, по одному открытому акционерному обществу, обществу ограниченной ответственностью и казенному предприятию, 12 производственных кооперативов, 75 родовых общин и два подсобных хозяйств предприятий.
Что касается численности оленей по формам собственности, то наибольшее количество оленей находится в сельскохозяйственных кооперативах – 27%, далее идут государственные унитарные предприятия (21,9%), родовые общины (20,4 %), муниципальные унитарные предприятия (14,6 %), личные подсобные хозяйства населения (12,1%). Наименьшее количество оленей в ведении казенного предприятия (0,7%), открытого акционерного общества (3%), общества ограниченной ответственности (0,2%), подсобных хозяйствах предприятий (0,1%).
Следует отметить, что численность поголовья оленей в республике увеличивается за счет крупных хозяйств тундровой и горно-таежной зон. Задача по увеличению поголовья оленей до 2012 года ставится в Абыйском, Аллаиховском, Момском, Жиганском, Оленекском и группе Колымских улусов, где имеются обширные оленепастбища и трудовые ресурсы. В данные улусы планируется поставка племенных оленей из племенных хозяйств республики.
- Иван Петрович, как идет отел на пастбищах? Как настроение оленеводов?
– Весенняя корализация оленей полностью завершена и все оленеводческие стада достигли пастбищ отела. С середины апреля начался отел оленей. Первыми, как принято, кампанию начали оленеводы Нижнеколымского и Аллаиховского районов. Всего по оперативным данным управлений сельского хозяйств районов на 29 апреля получено живых тугутов – 7.723 гол или 101,1 % к показателю прошлого года (7.641 гол). Оленеводами Нижнеколымского района получено 4.448, Усть-Янского – 655 Анабарского – 598 и Булунского – 593 тугутов.
Отдельные районы (Оленекский, Анабарский, Булунский) информируют о мокрых снегопадах и ветрах, но и там отел начался вовремя. Специалисты всех районов информируют о готовности оленеводов к проведению отела. Надеемся, что обязательства, принятые на II съезде оленеводов республики в с. Сасыр Момского района с призывом к 65-летию Победы в Великой Отечественной войне добиться по итогам года делового выхода тугутов не менее 60% и сохранности взрослого поголовья оленей не менее 90%, будут выполнены.
Так что настроение у оленеводов хорошее, тем более, что за 1 квартал средства на зарплату оленеводов ушли вовремя.
Ближайшие задачи оленеводов заключаются в оптимальном подборе весенних пастбищ для проведения отела, максимально сохранить приплод, поголовье. Идет работа по переброске продовольствия, снаряжения, дров (для тундровой зоны). Необходимо качественно заготовить, хранить и организовать перевозку сырых пантов с участков кочевания. Необходимо также усилить работу охотников-волчатников.
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Reindeer Blog » Debate on Mining in Finnmark Heats Up
(Map shows the mining claims in Kvalsund, an area important to migratory reindeer husbandry in Northern Norway, source: NGU) According to an article on TV2, one of the largest networks in Norway, Finnmark is sitting on a potential ‘treasure trove’ of over 1 billion NOK of valuable minerals and including cooper, gold, iron ore and valuable natural stones.
Helga Pedersen, deputy leader of the governing Labour Party was quoted as saying,
We are for mineral exploration in Inner Finnmark – But it’s not that we can say yes all, everywhere and at any price. We must also develop this industry and take account of the environment and to those on the plateau before (mining)
Here she is of course referring to the indigenous Sami, many of whom (especially reindeer herders) have been critical of the current ‘gold rush’ for minerals that is occurring in Finnmark. Surprisingly perhaps, Pedersen herself is of Sami ancestry and she has been a vigorous supporter of developing mining in the county. Legal researcher, Øyvind Ravna is quoted in the article as saying,
A charge should be introduced which would provide direct compensation to the indigenous Sami people if they are to accept such activities in their core areas
Ravna pointed to the activities of some mining ventures in Canada where First Nations are compensated directly for mining activity on their land. Pedersen is quick to rule out talk of compensation for mining for the Sami, which would be very unpopular among many Norwegian communities,
Meanwhile, in the regional media, the County Mayor of Finnmark is quoted as saying that people are getting angry that mining is being held up,
For far too long there has been talk of the great riches found in the county and how many jobs a new mining industry can provide. Now is the time that they should be realized otherwise people will become frustrated and eventually angry
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Árran » Árran now published digitally
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News from arctic-council.org » The Arctic Council visits Ilulissat
The number of tourists in Ilulissat has doublet up since the Icefjord granted status as World Heritage [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Vulcanic Impacts on Arctic Environment
The Arctic Council Working Group AMAP suggests a study on the impacts of the Icelandic on the Arctic and Global Environment [Link]
Reindeer Blog » New Film From Yamal on Themes of Loss and Identity
A film based on the Yamal Peninsula (with a strong connection to reindeer husbandry) PUDANA – LAST OF LINE was recently released to acclaim at the directed by the husband-and-wife pairing of Markku Lehmuskallio and Anastasia Lapsui, has been awarded the Grand Jury Award for the best fiction feature film at the 32nd Festival International de Films de Femmes in Créteil in France. This is the second time that Lapsui and Lehmuskallio have carried off this award from Créteil – in 2000 their film Seitsemän laulua tundralta (“Seven Songs from the Tundra”) won the same prize. The film has just returned from a release tour of several villages on the Yamal Peninsula.
PUDANA – LAST OF THE LINE is a story of change, upbringing and deprivation of identity. The film takes place in the Yamal Peninsula during Soviet times and is based on a true story set in Director Anastasia Lapsui’s childhood surroundings. A little Nenets girl Neko is taken against her will from her home chum (teepee) to a boarding school in a remote Russian village. Forced to adapt to a foreign culture and new customs, Neko rebels against Sovietisation and gets bullied by her schoolmates and picked on by her teachers. After several conflicts Neko decides to flee together with her Nenets school mate hoping to get back to her reindeer herding family on the tundra. However, the children’s flight in is short-lived and the return to the boarding school and their new Russian life is inevitable.
The story is told as old Neko’s, or now Nadja’s, memory. Now, after long and full life, she recalls the moment that ended her childhood and started her life as a part of the other society. But something important has changed for good; Neko, the last of her family, has grown away from her original roots and lost her skill to sustain the ancient traditions of her family.
Source: Helsingin Sanomat
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Reindeer Blog » Парламент Якутии рассмотрел в первом чтении законопроект “О кочевой семье”
Народные депутаты Государственного собрания (Ил Тумэн) Республики Саха (Якутия) 14 апреля 2010 года в ходе XVI очередного пленарного заседания Государственного Собрания (Ил Тумэн) в первом чтении приняли проект республиканского закона «О кочевой семье».
С докладом по данному вопросу выступил председатель постоянного комитета Государственного Собрания (Ил Тумэн) по делам семьи, детства, молодежи, физической культуре и спорту Александр Подголов.
В законодательстве Российской Федерации и Республики Саха (Якутия) в области семейных отношений осуществлен обобщающий подход. Только в нормативных актах, касающихся социальных льгот и поддержки разных категорий населения, появляется типология семей: многодетные, имеющие детей-инвалидов, малообеспеченные. В принятом в 2008 году законе «Об охране семьи, материнства, отцовства и детства в Республике Саха (Якутия)» включен тип «молодая семья».
Однако в республике имеется еще один тип семьи, который не распространен в России, а имеет место на северных территориях и Сибири – это семьи оленеводов, охотников, рыбаков, ведущих кочевой образ жизни, то есть вынужденных следовать за основным источником своего существования – оленями – по тундре и тайге. Большинство из указанных семей, как правило, не имеют стационарного жилья в населенных пунктах, где они прописаны. С наступлением учебного года дети старше 7 лет отрываются от родителей и поселяются большей частью в интернатах при школах. Данное состояние приводит к разрыву поколений и отрыву молодежи от традиционного хозяйствования, навыки которого приобретаются только в постоянном пребывании в оленеводческих бригадах с раннего детства.
Отрасли традиционного природопользования не являются рыночными и не могут обеспечить требуемых условий жизни современного человека, тем более в нынешних условиях формирования новых экономических отношений. В советский период они пользовались полным государственным протекционизмом, на плечах совхозов содержались все северные деревни. Работа оленевода, охотника, рыбака была престижна и достаточно высоко оплачивалась. Поэтому семьи не испытывали недостатка.
В современных условиях члены этих семей фактически лишены конституционных прав на охрану здоровья, образование, равного культурного пространства.
Отсутствие системного подхода в решении вопросов коренных малочисленных народов Севера, преобладание отраслевого метода, привело к нарастанию негативных симптомов в их среде. Демографические показатели последних лет говорят о снижении среднего уровня продолжительности жизни (мужчины – 42, женщины – 45-50 лет) и уровня рождаемости. Смертность в среде малочисленных народов Севера увеличена на 26 %. Преобладает смертность не по естественным причинам: травматизм, убийства, самоубийства. Тревожным является суицидальная смертность в раннем возрасте и от социальных болезней – пьянства, полового нигилизма.
Кочевая семья большей частью распространена в оленеводстве. По данным министерства сельского хозяйства, всего в оленеводстве работают 1578 оленеводов и 636 чумработника. Вместе с ними кочуют 319 детей дошкольного возраста. Семьи оленеводов по-прежнему разобщены. На время каникул в виде производственных лагерей в оленеводстве было занято 544 школьника. 650 оленеводов детородного возраста не имеют семьи.
Состояние кочевых семей – основа существования самобытных северных этносов, уникальной циркумполярной цивилизации и традиционного природопользования – оленеводства, рыболовства, охоты. Следовательно, реабилитация кочевой семьи, семейных отношений необходима в целях восстановления психического баланса в среде народов Севера и сохранения традиционного природопользования, присущего этим этносам. Этому должен способствовать закон Республики Саха (Якутия) «О кочевой семье», которым юридически признается наличие таких специфических явлений в обществе как «кочевой образ жизни», «кочевая семья», впервые в международной практике рассматриваемые как самостоятельные системные социальные образования и предусматриваются государственные гарантии поддержки этих институтов.
«Это будет первый в мире подобный закон и им уже заинтересовались представители регионов России, а также Норвегии и Финляндии», – отметил Александр Подголов.
Законопроект вызвал бурное обсуждение среди народных депутатов республики, вопросы к докладчику задали Альбина Поисеева, Олег Тарасов, Анатолий Алексеев, Игорь Корнев, Александр Гаврильев, Эрнст Березкин, Александр Ким-Кимэн, Валентина Потрубейко.
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Reindeer Blog » Sami Council Criticize German Bank Funding of Wind Power on Reindeer Pastures
The Saami Council, the NGO that represents the Sami people in all four countries in which they live have released a strongly worded press release criticising the German bank KfW IPEX for their funding of a giant wind power project in Sami reindeer herding areas, in contravention of the OECD Convention on Multilateral Enterprises.
In their complaint the Saami Council argue that the project is socially unsustainable and in breach of Saami rights.
The Swedish government has granted planning permission for the world’s largest land based wind power park to be built in the municipality of Piteå, Sweden, where the Saami community of Östra Kikkejaur have their winter reindeer herding pastures. The wind power park will consist of over 1000 wind turbines, an 800 km road, and extensive infrastructure, which means that reindeer herding in the area will be severely restricted.
”The Swedish state has admitted that the project will destroy at least 25% of the Saami community’s winter reindeer herding pastures, but the state has argued that renewable energy is more important than Saami rights. The financier of the project’s first phase, the German bank KfW IPEX-Bank, has defended their investment by referring to the Swedish state’s approval of the project. But the state planning permission, and thereby KfW IPEX-Bank’s financing, are in breach of international law because Saami rights are not being respected”, says Mattias Åhrén, president for the Saami Council.
Download the Press Release 1004 Press release Markbygden
Download the Letter of Noticification to the Bank KfW IPEX 1004 Markbygden OECD
Text of the full press release below
German bank finances giant wind power project in breach of Saami rights
Saami Council has today lodged a complaint over the German KfW IPEX-Bank’s financing of a giant wind power project on Saami reindeer herding territories. The wind power project risks making reindeer herding unviable in the area and is therefore in breach of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. In their complaint the Saami Council argue that the project is socially unsustainable and in breach of Saami rights.
The Swedish government has granted planning permission for the world’s largest land based wind power park to be built in the municipality of Piteå, Sweden, where the Saami community of Östra Kikkejaur have their winter reindeer herding pastures. The wind power park will consist of over 1000 wind turbines, an 800 km road, and extensive infrastructure, which means that reindeer herding in the area will be severely restricted.
”The Swedish state has admitted that the project will destroy at least 25% of the Saami community’s winter reindeer herding pastures, but the state has argued that renewable energy is more important than Saami rights. The financier of the project’s first phase, the German bank KfW IPEX-Bank, has defended their investment by referring to the Swedish state’s approval of the project. But the state planning permission, and thereby KfW IPEX-Bank’s financing, are in breach of international law because Saami rights are not being respected”, says Mattias Åhrén, president for the Saami Council.
The Saami community has been in contact with the German bank, KfW IPEX-Bank, and highlighted the fact that the bank’s financing of the project is not in line with the bank’s commitments regarding human rights, indigenous rights, and environmental sustainability. The Saami community has also requested a meeting with the bank, but the bank has ignored the community’s request. In their communication with the community KfW IPEX-Bank claim that the bank’s commitments do not apply to projects in OECD countries, and therefore are not relevant to Sweden. The bank argues that they follow Swedish law and the decisions of Swedish public authorities, and that this is guarantee enough that Saami rights are respected.
”The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises apply of course to projects in all countries, and Sweden is no exception. We look forward to a dialog with the German government regarding KfW IPEX-Bank’s investment in this controversial project. It is a myth that Sweden respects human rights”, says Mattias Åhrén, president for the Saami Council.
Sweden has received repeated and harsh international critique from the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination and the UN Human Rights Committee because Sweden breaches Saami land rights by not regulating resource development activities on traditional Saami lands and does not give Saami communities the opportunity for effective participation in decisions that affect them.
Contact: Mattias Åhrén, President, Saami Council +47 47 37 91 61
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Reindeer Blog » Mining and Reindeer Can Mix According to Senior Politician, Norway
A multi stakeholder seminar was held in the Kautokeino, Norway yesterday which focussed on the issue of mining in Finnmark, an issue of some controversy in the region since the passing of the Finnmark Act which devolved desicion making powers over multiple resource issues to the region of Finnmark. The seminar was attended by the leader of the EALÁT project and several EALÁT partners including the leader of the Sami Reindeer Herders Association of Norway. Heavyweight politicians were present, including the Parliamentary leader of the governing Labour Party Helga Pedersen and the leader of the mining company Store Norske Gull, who have been active in staking claims most particularly in the Karasjok region. Pedersen was unequivocal in her support for the future development of mining in the the region, which reindeer herders fear will mean the further erosion of winter pastures that are already under duress. Pedersen told NRK Sami Radio
Both Finnmark society and the Sami community is entirely dependent on new activity. If one is to preserve the culture and language we are going to have to have new jobs for the youth in the Sami villages. You can not save the Sami culture simply by having Sami kindergarten at Tøyen in Oslo and courses in communities with cafe lattes, it has to happen here,
You can read the rest of the article here on the Reindeer Portal
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News from arctic-council.org » From the Chairs Desk
Information and press contact makes the SAO Chair’s working day busy. [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Reindeer Ferry Warming Up in Norway
In northern Norway, summer pastures for reindeer are often located on the coastal islands of Finnmark and Troms counties. Traditionally, reindeer swim across from the mainland to the islands but with increasing pasture losses and migratory route fragmentation, since the early 1970s, many herders use a reindeer ‘ferry’ to transport reindeer over distances that have now become too far to swim (reindeer are exellent swimmers).
Reindeer ferry season is about to begin this year on April 20th from Balnes in Balsfjord and some 15,000 reindeer from 20 reindeer herding districts will make the ferry ride by May 9th. National Geographic featured a short article on this unusual form of transport in collaboration with the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry which you can read here.
Source: LMD
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Reindeer Blog » Fences for Kola Reindeer Husbandry?
In a long interview with the newspaper Vedomosti, the new (ish) Kola Peninsula regional Governor Dmitry Dmitriyenko said that his administration plans to establish 100-200 km wide zones for reindeer herds. This will help raise productivity, the governor argues.
Today, reindeer herds migrate over major parts of the peninsula and unlike reindeer husbandry in the neighbouring Finland, fences are not widely used there.
Governor Dmitriyenko says the changing climate makes it increasingly difficult to gather the herds at slaughter time because the rivers now freeze later than before.
Although this was a small piece in a lengthy article, were such a plan to be carried out, it would dramatically alter reindeer husbandry in the region. Interestingly, the Governor identifies climate change as being the reason for the introduction of fencing while experience from Scandinavia show that fencing is more related to herd control by the authorities and reduced flexibility for herders. Fencing also has a dramatic impact on the landscape and breaks up traditional migratory patterns.
Source: Ведомости
Другая инновационная идея связана с другим традиционным промыслом — оленеводством. Сейчас по старинке олени пасутся по всему Кольскому полуострову. Но климат изменяется, и, когда приходит время забоя, стада не могут вернуться вовремя, потому что реки, по которым они раньше возвращались, не успевают замерзнуть или уже вскрываются. В результате забой начинается позже, соответственно, нагульность падает. Мы хотим перевести содержание оленьих стад в загоны периметром 100-200 км. Это повысит продуктивность оленеводства. Кроме того, при загонном методе содержания возникает новый бизнес. Рога молодых оленей могут использоваться в фармпроизводстве. Сырье, производимое в области, отправляется для переработки в Норвегию. Мы сейчас работаем над тем, чтобы увеличить поставки.
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Reindeer Blog » Norwegian Reindeer Husbandry Administration Advises Caution
The Norwegian Reindeer Husbandry Administration is advising people in the northern Troms and Nordland areas to be particularly aware of reindeer this spring due to difficult grazing and operating conditions. Easter is a hugely popular holiday period for Norwegians and people are on the move and outdoors. Reindeer in northern Troms and Nordland have had difficult weather conditions this winter resulting in very poor grazing conditions with deep snow in the forest and lowlands, and a lot of crust and icing in the mountains. They advise that it is important to avoid unrest and disturbances that add additional stress to the reindeer. Especially now as reindeer are heading towards spring and the calving period in May, meaning it is important that reindeer get rest and take care of their last reserves to ensure survival for both adult animals and calves.
The Press release continues that traffic such as snowmobiling which can be illegal and dogs that are not under control in the grazing areas can cause a lot of problems for the industry, which are exacerbated after difficult winter conditions. By law, dogs are supposed to be on a lead between April 1-August 20 when near reindeer grazing areas.
More information here at the Norwegian Reindeer Husbandry Administration.
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News from arctic-council.org » SAO Meeting in Ilulissat
The next SAO Meeting is going to take place in Ilulissat, near the world famous icefjord. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » New Book about Arctic Economies
The Actic regional economies are strongly dependent on their mother economies in the south [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Warm winters distress reindeer herders, Kola Peninsula (France 24)
In a billowing cloud of white, Russia’s Arctic herders drive thousands of panting and wild-eyed reindeer through the knee-deep snow to the first slaughter this year.
But warm winters in recent years have forced herders here in the far northern Kola Peninsula to delay for months the rounding up of their reindeer from the vast tundra — at great economic cost.
“We’ve had to move the slaughter forwards from December to February because the lakes haven’t frozen over,” said Vladimir Filippov, an ethnic Komi herder who heads the farm Tundra, the main employer in this remote village.
These reindeer have lost roughly 20 percent of their weight during the extra months spent in the tundra while herders waited for the ice to thicken enough for the forced migration.
“It’s not a small but a huge problem for us and a constant worry,” said Filippov.
With meat sold at 4.34-6.01 dollars per kilogram (2.2 pounds), it can amount to a loss of up to 167,000 dollars per year. “That’s a huge loss,” Filippov sighed.
Over the past decade average temperatures have risen by 0.7 degrees C (1.25 degrees F) and satellite images show melting ice cover on the Arctic pole, said Anatoly Semyonov of the regional Murmansk state climate monitoring agency.
Even though 2010 has been relatively icy, herders who have faced more than a decade of mild winters dismiss the general scepticism amongst the Russian public over global warming.
Climate changes has also disrupted the breeding cycle and made it tough for reindeer to feed on lichen beneath the snow as late thaws and freezing rain create an impervious ice coating, veterinarian Vasili Pidgayetsky said.
At Tundra, global warming is forcing innovation.
Last year, the farm entered a proposal to build freeze-storage sites powered by wind turbines near grazing grounds to avoid the need to cross the vast tundra for slaughter in a grant contest run by the World Bank.
“We could kill the reindeer in situ in December and carry the meat back to the village by snowmobile,” said Tundra’s director Viktor Startsev.
It is a radical idea that is not without opposition amid the indigenous Saami and Komi-Izhems herders clinging fast to age-old way of life on the peninsula.
“Of course, the older generation says this isn’t right,” admitted Startsev.
The herding crisis began here with the Soviet experiment: Herders were moved from their pastures to Lovozero in the collectivization of the 1930s and forced resettlements in the 1960s to make way for military and industrial activity.
Valentina Sovkina, an expert with the Barents Euro-Arctic Council, was one of hundreds of Saami children who were torn from their parents and placed in dormitories.
“They were tragic years when families were split, mine too. I saw it fall apart,” she said. “I use to live half a year in the tundra… We slept on reindeer pelts but then the authorities insisted each child had to have a bed.”
The Soviet changes led many commit suicide and turn to drink, she said.
Today, many have left Lovozero and few young people in the impoverished village of 3,000 want to take up their forefathers’ profession.
Rubbing his mittened hands in frigid exhaustion, 42-year-old Grigory Khatanzei said he began herding at 16 and recalled how much tougher the job was without cell phones and snowmobiles — using sleighs and dogs.
Despite satellite television and other improvements at bases in the tundra, “My kids, the young don’t do this; they don’t want this work probably because it pays so little,” he said.
The average herder earns 7,000 rubles (234 dollars) a month and lives in the tundra in shifts between March and November.
With less people to mind the herd, squeezed by industrial growth and powerless before armed poachers, reindeer numbers have dropped drastically.
By the end of World War II — during which reindeer brigades transported Soviet armed forces — the Tundra farm had 43,000 animals. In 2010, some 26,000 reindeer are left.
The reindeer and caribou herds are in steady decline across the Arctic, the first global study of their numbers published in 2009 found.
“The vast degree of global change in the north casts doubt on the species’ ability to recover,” study author Liv Vors of the University of Alberta, Canada told AFP.
In the last sprint of the day-long, 50-kilometre (30-mile) rampage over the tundra, herders chase alongside, flapping their arms to spur on reindeer.
When one sinks exhausted into the snow, they swoop in and drag it by the antlers onto wood sleds at the back of their snowmobiles.
“We’re always worried, not only because of climate change,” Filippov said. “I’m afraid that if people don’t pay attention to reindeer herding, it may die away.”
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Reindeer Blog » Hard Winter for Herders in Mongolia (UN)
Mongolia has suffered a “Dzud”, which is a multiple natural disaster consisting of a summer drought producing small stockpiling of fodder, followed by very heavy winter snow and lower than normal temperatures.
Heavy and continuous snowfall and blizzards have resulted in a sharp fall in daily temperatures – dropping to below -40°Celsius in 19 out of a total of 21 ‘aimags’ (provinces) in Mongolia.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the extreme cold and heavy snow have already caused the death of more than one million livestock, worsening food security and predicted subsequently to result in a deepening of poverty and increased internal rural-urban migration for many families. According to the World Bank, livestock herding today, accounts for around 35% of employment in Mongolia.
In addition to a concern for the situation of isolated herding families, the agencies making up the United Nations Team are assessing the situation of the poor, particularly those living in the 94 soums (villages) considered to be most affected and inaccessible. “The poor did not have the resources to stockpile food or fuel for heating and the supplies in the now inaccessible village as a whole are stretched”, said Rana Flowers, the Resident Coordinator a.i. in Mongolia. “The UN agencies have mobilized to assess the situation and coordinate our efforts to reach the most affected populations. In addition to the impact this is having on livelihoods now and into the future, we are worried about the immediate plight of the isolated population. Among health concerns are pregnant women cut off from facilities and trained care (three women have reportedly already died in childbirth); increases in ARI and pneumonia in the light of the H1N1 in the country among children and pregnant women; and malnutrition levels with lowering levels of access to food and nutrition in affected areas”, she added.
In addition, children who have been ordered to remain in dormitories due to the danger they would face trying to travel to their families in such conditions, are living with limited and extremely poor heat and limited food supplies in many schools. There are approximately 22,200 children in 265 dormitories in need of assistance.
In the last dzud of 2001, not considered to be as severe as the current 2010 experience, an increase in malnutrition and acute infections of children and pregnant mothers were documented. The plight of populations in the post-dzud period which lasts from late February to early spring is also a period of concern with food supplies having been exhausted and the animal supply severely depleted, and the risk of disease heightened. The trauma of losing livelihoods results in families and children at high risk of developing extreme fatigue and psychological stress.
The Government has appealed to the donor community for food, flour, rice, medicines and equipment, candles, heating supplies, warm clothing, as well as for funding to buy and deliver fodder for livestock. The United Nations in Mongolia was formally requested to coordinate all donor contributions.
The United Nations agencies and specialized agencies actively contributing to the relief efforts in Mongolia include FAO, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WHO and UN-HABITAT.
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For more information please contact:
Rana Flowers, Resident Coordinator a.i and UNICEF Representative, phone: +976 11 326221
Wiwat Rojanapithayakorn, WHO Representative, phone: +976 11 327870
Argentina Matavel, UNFPA Representative, phone: +976 11 323665
Shoko Noda, UNDP Resident Representative, phone: +976 11 327585
N. Oyundelger, FAO Assistant Representative, phone: +976 11 352512
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News from arctic-council.org » Successfull Roundtable
An integrated approach for social datasets will lead to a better understanding of the cross cutting issues between social and environmental science. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » High Arctic Species on Thin Ice
A new assessment of the Arctic’s biodiversity reports a 26 per cent decline in species populations in the high Arctic. [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Reindeer body clock switched off (BBC)
Reindeer have no internal body clock, according to scientists.
Researchers found that the animals are missing a “circadian clock” that influences processes including the sleep-wake cycle and metabolism.
This enables them to better cope with the extreme Arctic seasons of polar day, when the sun stays up all day, and polar night, when it does not rise.
The team from the universities of Manchester and Tromso report their study in Current Biology journal.
The body clock, or circadian clock, is the internal mechanism that drives hormone release on a rhythmic 24-hour cycle.
Light also influences these hormonal rhythms, but in most mammals, this “circuit” also involves the circadian clock, which can influence the release of hormones without the influence of light.
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Anyone who has experienced jet lag is familiar with the effect of the body clock.
But the research team from research institutes in the UK and Norway found that, in Arctic reindeer, this circadian clock was absent.
Professor Andrew Loudon from The University of Manchester took part in the study.
He said that the reindeer may have “abandoned use of the daily clock that drives biological rhythms” in order to survive the extreme conditions in the Arctic.
He and his colleagues studied reindeer living in Northern Norway, 500 km north of the Arctic circle. Here there are 15 weeks of continuous daylight in summer and eight weeks during the winter where the Sun does not appear over the horizon.
They investigated levels of the hormone called melatonin – which is important in the sleep-wake cycle – in the reindeer’s blood
They found that there was no natural internal rhythm of melatonin release into the blood – the hormone simply responded to the cycle of light and dark.
Professor Loudon said he believed that evolution had “come up with a means of switching off the cellular clockwork” and that the result was “a lack of internal daily timekeeping in these animals”.
He commented: “Such daily clocks may be positively a hindrance in environments where there is no reliable light dark cycle for much of the year.
Organisms use their circadian clocks to correspond with their living environment; but if their environment has a very different cycle, it may be better to follow that rather than use the internal clock.
“This could be the case for a range of animals living at the poles of the Earth or in the depths of the ocean.”
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Lappbyns blogg » Björntrumman
KLICKA för att höra björntrumman!
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Reindeer Blog » Правительство Югры готовит новую программу по развитию оленеводства
11 марта, в Ханты-Мансийске состоялся VII съезд оленеводов Югры. В приветствии делегатам и гостям форума губернатор автономного округа Наталья Комарова отметила: “Залогом успеха Югры в обозримой перспективе является многогранное развитие, в том числе, ставка на прорывные отрасли и реализация потенциала традиционных промыслов народов Севера. Сегодня наша общая задача – придать новую энергию развитию исторически сложившихся форм природопользования. Прежде всего, предстоит активно развивать оленеводство, за счет сплава традиций и современных технологий открыть перед отраслью новые возможности”.
Концепция устойчивого развития коренных малочисленных народов Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока Российской Федерации, принятая в 2009 году, также относит северное оленеводство к приоритетам. Как отмечали участники съезда в Ханты-Мансийске, этот документ должен в кратчайшие сроки наполниться региональным содержанием, конкретными мероприятиями. В Югре, где ещё в 2004 году был принят закон о поддержке оленеводства, такая работа активно ведётся. В скором времени правительство округа представит экспертам проект новой программы развития отрасли на очередной период. В ней, без сомнения, будут учтены и предложения участников съезда, сообщили в пресс-службе губернатора Югры.
Делегаты обсудили и вопросы совершенствования механизма государственной поддержки оленеводства. Как отметил в своём выступлении начальник Управления АПК автономного округа Николай Колчанов, окружной закон и мероприятия по реализации аграрного приоритетного национального проекта позволили с 2008 года увеличить помощь отрасли в 8 раз. Но Югра и Ямал оказались явно обижены центром: как регионам-донорам им за это время в четыре раза сократили и без того скромные денежные субсидии. В нынешнем году федеральная казна собирается выделить югорским оленеводам всего 900 тыс. руб., тогда как Правительство округа – более 14 млн. руб. Одна из важных задач союза оленеводов – наиболее эффективно распорядиться этими деньгами. Так, если сельхозпредприятия и национальные общины получают из бюджета округа по 940 руб. дотаций на каждого январского оленя, то частники, субсидируемые муниципалитетами, – всего по 600 рублей на матку. Причина дисбаланса не только в слабой организации статистической отчётности у “единоличников”, но и в отношении местных чиновников к оленным людям. К примеру, в Берёзовском районе, где всего-то 1656 животных, муниципалитет выплатил 48 тыс. руб. за 80 животных. То есть деньги, которые округ выдаёт местной администрации, не осваиваются.
Ещё один важный аспект – отношения с недропользователями. Как отметил Семён Кечимов, “если в 90-е годы мы говорили о “нефтяных катках”, то сегодня мы с представителями ТЭК на равных”. То, что с помощью правительства Югры удалось наладить этот взаимовыгодный диалог, было видно и по тому, что в работе съезда участвуют не только заявленные ранее представители ЛУКОЙЛа и Сургутнефтегаза, но и ЮТЭКа и Юганскнефтегаза. Они также обсуждают проблемы и вносят свои предложения по развитию отрасли.
Источник: Накануне.RU
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Reindeer Blog » Съезд оленеводов Югры
Пресс-служба Губернатора Ханты-Мансийского автономного округа Югры сообщает, что 10 марта в Ханты-Мансийск съезжаются участники VII съезда оленеводов автономного округа. В его работе примут участие 50 делегатов (восемь из них – женщины), а также представители Правительства и Думы автономного округа, Ассамблеи коренных малочисленных народов Севера и общественной организации “Спасение Югры”, оленеводческих коллективов “Саранпаульский”, “Казымский” и частных оленеводческих хозяйств Сургутского, Белоярского, Нижневартовского, Ханты-Мансийского и Березовского районов, этих муниципалитетов и работающих на их территории нефтедобывающих компаний “ЛУКОЙЛ-Западная Сибирь” и “Сургутнефтегаз”.
Съезду предстоит выработать рекомендации для органов власти по повышению эффективности государственной поддержки оленеводства, реализации окружного законодательства в этой сфере, определить меры развития взаимоотношений оленных людей и нефтяников. Здесь же пройдёт презентация компании ЛУКОЙЛ, посвященная поддержке традиционной для коренных северян отрасли.
Очередной большой совет оленеводов автономного округа откроется завтра, 11 марта, в 10 часов. А сегодня вечером на сцене выставочного комплекса “Югра-экспо” перед его участниками и гостями выступят артисты фольклорного коллектива детского этнокультурно-образовательного центра “Лылынг союм” и молодежного фольклорного коллектива “Эхо родной земли”. Отметим, что с культурой обских угров, их костюмами и национальной кухней смогут познакомиться не только участники форума, но и все желающие: в пятницу на площадке “Югра-Экспо” пройдёт День оленевода со спортивными состязаниями и угощением традиционными северными блюдами.
Источник: Пресс-служба Губернатора Ханты-Мансийского автономного округа
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News from arctic-council.org » WG Chairs Shared Experiences
The Arctic Council Working Groups are preparing the upcoming SAO Meeting in Ilulissat, Greenland [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Карагинский район Камчатского края готовится ко Дню Оленевода
10-13 апреля 2010 года в Карагинском районе на базе 1-го звена сельско-хозяйственного производственного кооператива «Сельско-хозяйственная артель «Дружба» планируется проведение праздничных мероприятий, посвященных Дню Оленевода.
Ожидается провести совещание оленеводов для обсуждения и подведения итогов деятельности предприятия за 2009 год, планируется сделать обзор финансового положения и обсудить проблемы и перспективы усовершенствования деятельности предприятия. В ходе совещания будет проведено награждение и поощрение ведущих оленеводов районов.
В программе торжественной части – забой жертвенного оленя, обряд кормления ритуального семейного идола, традиционные гонки на оленьих и собачьих упряжках, игры, конкурсы и др.
Организаторами является Администрация СПК «СХА «Дружба», администрация Карагинского муниципального района и Ассоциация Общин коренных малочисленных народов Севера Карагинского муниципального района «Кайваям».
Информационный центр «Лач», п.Оссора
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Reindeer Blog » Проблемы и перспективы северного оленеводства Камчатки обсудили на круглом столе
5 марта в селе Эссо состоялось заседание круглого стола по проблемным вопросам оленеводства в Камчатском крае. На заседании, которое прошло под председательством первого вице-губернатора Ирины Третьяковой, присутствовали представители краевой и муниципальной власти, руководители оленеводческих предприятий, в том числе генеральный директор ГУП «Камчатоленпром» Владимир Клеймёнов, генеральный директор ООО «Апукинское» Герман Пак, председатель родовой общины «Акенман» Александр Адуканов и др. Об этом сообщает пресс-служба Правительства Камчатского края.
Северное оленеводство в структуре сельского хозяйства Камчатского края во все времена являлось главной и традиционной отраслью хозяйствования коренных малочисленных народов полуострова. Это не только образ жизни, единственный источник существования оленеводов и их семей, но и предмет национальной гордости.
Государственная поддержка оленеводства осуществляется в виде предоставления субсидий из федерального и регионального бюджетов. В 2009 году на развитие северного оленеводства в Камчатском крае из бюджетов всех уровней было выделено 88,4 млн. рублей, из них 80 млн. – средства краевого бюджета. С 2010 года Правительство Камчатского края реализует отдельную программу по поддержке и развитию северного оленеводства до 2012 года. Общий объем финансирования Программы составит 381 млн. рублей, из которых 345 млн. – средства краевого бюджета. В Камчатском крае насчитывается около 37 тысяч голов оленей, из которых в оленеводческих организациях – 35 тысяч, а в частных хозяйствах – 2 тысячи голов.
К сожалению, некогда высокорентабельное производство превратилось в хронически убыточное и уже значительный период времени находится в глубочайшем кризисе.
Напомним, до начала 90-х годов только в бывшем Корякском автономном округе северных оленей насчитывалось более 150,3 тысяч голов. В 2008 году общее число северных оленей в Камчатском крае составляло 38,2 тысячи голов.
Информационный центр «Лач», г. Петропавловск-Камчатский
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Reindeer Blog » Глава правительства Красноярского края Эдхам Акбулатов предложил направить красноярскую оленину в Европу
Глава правительства Красноярского края Эдхам Акбулатов дал указание своим подчиненным продумать варианты реализации северного мяса, рыбы и дикоросов в России и за пределами страны.
По его словам, необходимо изучить успешный опыт Ямало-Ненецкого автономного округа, который реализует животноводческую продукцию хозяйств представителей коренных народов Севера не только в Сибири, но в Германии и других странах Европейского Союза.
«Мы должны идти таким путем, чтобы продвигать продукцию на рынках крупных городов, а не только в той местности, где она производится. Поэтому необходимо проработать вопрос сбыта продукции, производимой в северных районах. И также соответственно решать вопрос транспортной схемы», – подчеркнул и.о. главы правительства региона.
Поручения были даны министерствам сельского хозяйства и продовольственной политики, а также экономики и регионального развития. Срок для решения поставленных задач – апрель 2010 года.
Напомним, что из краевого бюджета в 2010 года северные территории получат дополнительно 10 млн рублей для развития и укрепления производства продуктов, которое реализуется коренными малочисленными народами Севера. Так, в Эвенкию будут направлены дополнительные средства для покупки упаковочного конвейера, в пяти северных районах планируется продолжить развитие сети пунктов сбора дикоросов, мяса и рыбы.
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Reindeer Blog » Саамские общины получат субсидии
12 февраля в Мурманске прошло заседание Совета представителей коренных малочисленных народов Севера при правительстве Мурманской области. На нем было решено предоставить субсидии семи саамским общинам на общую сумму около 4,5 миллиона рублей. Выделяемые средства пойдут на приобретение оборудования и техники. Общинами, которые получат поддержку из бюджета, стали «Умба», «Чуввесь кяйн», «Чигар», «Шэнтэмбаль», «Пуаз», «Ена», «Воавсхэсс».
Кроме того, участники заседания рассмотрели вопрос создания в нашей области комиссии по развитию северного оленеводства и обсудили возможность обеспечения работников оленеводческих хозяйств путевками в санаторно-курортные учреждения. Также на встрече была отмечена важность издания в ближайшем будущем литературы, рекламных видеопродуктов и учебно-методических материалов на саамскую тематику.
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News from arctic-council.org » New Arctic Council Chair
In Denmark Ms.Lene Espersen was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs on 23 February 2010. [Link]
Arctic Peoples » AMAP San Francisco meetings
The AMAP meetings that took place in San Francisco from 8–12 February 2010 comprised an AMAP strategy workshop and an AMAP Working Group meeting. One of presently six Arctic Council Working Groups, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) was originally established in 1991 to implement parts of the Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy [...] [Link]
Arctic Peoples » Indigenous Representatives Excluded from A-5 Meeting
Canada has announced that it will host a high-level meeting to discuss the future of economic development and environmental protection in nations bordering the Arctic Ocean in Chelsea, Quebec on March 29, 2010. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Laurence Cannon described the upcoming gathering as a means to “provide an opportunity for Arctic Ocean coastal [...] [Link]
Árran » Sami day around the world
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Árran » The Man Who was Born in the Snow (part 2)
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Arctic Peoples » An Arctic Indigenous 2009 retrospect
At the Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting in Tromsø in April 2009, the chairmanship of the council was passed on from Norway to Denmark. Denmark, at the end of its term in 2011, will in its turn pass the chairmanship on to Sweden that will thus take the suite of Scandinavian Arctic Council [...] [Link]
Arctic Peoples » A-5 and Sovereignty
When Inuit Circumpolar Council , in 2009, released its “Inuit Circumpolar Declaration on Arctic Sovereignty”, it was not making a statement of secession of an Inuit Nation or something like that. On the contrary, it was critically examining the concept of national sovereignty from the perspective of indigenous peoples’ right to self-determination, pointing out [...] [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Grímsson suggests a Himalayan Council
The President of Iceland suggested a Himalayan Council modelled on the experiences from the Arctic Council when he received the Nehru Award. [Link]
Árran » Google it
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Reindeer Blog » Trains and Reindeer Don’t Mix..
Ask reindeer herders in certain parts of Norway and they will tell you that trains and reindeer do not mix. In the Norwegian media, there have been a series of stories about a series of deadly interactions between reindeer. A total of 1877 reindeer were run over by train in 2008 in Norway, despite the goals of the Norwegian Rail Administration’s to reduce the carnage.
Several measures have been evaluated to reduce the number of collisions, including fences along the most vulnerable routes, GPS monitoring, clearing of forests along the railway lines, lining the side valleys, and the use of reflectors to keep animals away from railway lines.
In 2009 it was scheduled to build a fence on a four-kilometer stretch between Semska and Sørelva and the Salt Mountain, which has been the site of numerous reindeer deaths.
1877 animals were run over by train in 2008 in Norway. Rail Administration’s goal to reduce the number of animal collisions so that the number of run over animals is a maximum of 1400 in 2009. The goal involves approximately 25 percent reduction over 2003. Over the last ten years, 2876 elk were hit by trains along the Nordland Line. In the same period have been recorded around 1500 deer collisions on Nordlandsbanen. Several measures have been evaluated to reduce the number of collisions, including fences along the most vulnerable routes, GPS monitoring, clearing of forests along the railway lines, lining the side valleys, and the use of reflectors to keep animals away from railway lines. In 2009 it was scheduled to build a fence on a four-kilometer stretch between Semska and Sørelva the Salt Mountain.
Meanwhile, in the largest area of reindeer husbandry in the world, the most northerly railway in the world has just opened for business. Linking the vast gas fields of Bovanenkovo in the middle of the Yamal Peninsula to the Russian railway network, this railway has been under construction for many years and from an engineering standpoint is marvel as it is almost entirely built on permafrost and crosses several large rivers, including a 4 km long bridge across the Yuribey River floodplain. The bridge is the world’s longest above the Arctic Circle. The railroad will be used for transport of equipment and materials for the development of the gas field and for construction of the Bovanenkovo-Ukhta pipeline across the Baydaratskaya Bay a press release from Gazprom reads. The Ob-Bovanenkovo railroad is also planned to be used for transport of gas condensate from the fields on the Yamal Peninsula. For reindeer herders, the railway bisects the migration routes of several reindeer herding brigades.
Arctic railway lines are all the rage in northern Europe with feasibility reports being commissioned on extending railway routes in Norway and Finland to the Arctic Ocean.
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News from arctic-council.org » Credits to the Arctic Council
The Arctic Council is an important player on the international scene. It was one of the key messages from the Arctic Frontiers conference. [Link]
Arctic Peoples » IPY Oslo Science Conference: Call for Abstracts!
The IPY Oslo Science Conference will be the largest polar science event to date! It will demonstrate, strengthen, and extend the International Polar Year’s accomplishments in science and outreach. The conference is an essential opportunity to display and explore the full breadth and implications of IPY activities. The international and interdisciplinary science conference will in particular [...] [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Госдума России рассмотрит законопроект, касающийся оленьих пастбищ
Коренным малочисленным народам Севера Сибири и Дальнего Востока предлагается предоставлять земельные участки на праве безвозмездного срочного пользования.
Как сообщается на специализированном земельном портале ЗЕМ.РУ 20 января 2010 года Государственная Дума Российской Федерации рассмотрит проект федерального закона № 217488-5 ”О внесении изменений в статью 24 Земельного кодекса Российской Федерации, в статью 3 Федерального закона “О введении в действие Земельного кодекса Российской Федерации” и в статью 10 Федерального закона “Об обороте земель сельскохозяйственного назначения” (в части предоставления находящихся в государственной или муниципальной собственности земельных участков в безвозмездное срочное пользование лицам, относящимся к коренным малочисленным народам Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока и их общинам).
На рассмотрении Государственной Думы Российской Федерации находится проект федерального закона № 217488-5 ”О внесении изменений в статью 24 Земельного кодекса Российской Федерации, в статью 3 Федерального закона “О введении в действие Земельного кодекса Российской Федерации” и в статью 10 Федерального закона “Об обороте земель сельскохозяйственного назначения” (в части предоставления находящихся в государственной или муниципальной собственности земельных участков в безвозмездное срочное пользование лицам, относящимся к коренным малочисленным народам Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока и их общинам).
Законопроект имеет целью реализацию закрепленных в статье 8 федерального закона «О гарантиях прав коренных малочисленных народов Российской Федерации» прав лиц, относящихся к коренным малочисленным народам Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока, и их общин, безвозмездно пользоваться в местах традиционного проживания и традиционной хозяйственной деятельности малочисленных народов землями различных категорий, необходимыми для осуществления их традиционного хозяйствования и занятия традиционными промыслами.
Так, в пояснительной записке в данному проекту закона сказано: «Для собственников земельных участков – лиц, относящихся к коренным малочисленным народам Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока, а также общин этих народов, это право реализовано статьей 395 Налогового кодекса Российской Федерации, в соответствии с которой они освобождены от уплаты земельного налога в отношении земельных участков, используемых для сохранения и развития их традиционного образа жизни, хозяйствования и промыслов.
Законопроектом предлагается установить в земельном законодательстве право безвозмездного пользования земельными участками для лиц, относящихся к коренным малочисленным народам Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока, и их общин, пользующихся в этих же целях земельными участками, находящимися в государственной или муниципальной собственности, в местах традиционного проживания и традиционной хозяйственной деятельности указанных коренных малочисленных народов».
Таким образом, предлагается внести дополнение в перечень, закрепленный в части первой статьи 24 Земельного кодекса Российской Федерации, устанавливающий случаи предоставления земельных участков в безвозмездное срочное пользование.
Одновременно с этим в статье 10 федерального закона «Об обороте земель сельскохозяйственного назначения» сказано, что земельные участки из земель сельскохозяйственного назначения, находящиеся в государственной или муниципальной собственности, могут передаваться общинам коренных малочисленных народов Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока Российской Федерации для осуществления сельскохозяйственного производства, сохранения и развития традиционного образа жизни, хозяйствования и промыслов этих народов только на правах аренды. Также только на праве аренды могут быть переданы гражданам и юридическим лицам земельные участки, занятые оленьими пастбищами в районах Крайнего Севера и отгонными пастбищами.
Так, в целях преодоления возникающих противоречий поправки предлагается внести и в данную указанную статью. Изменения будут носить следующий характер: земельные участки, используемые общинами коренных малочисленных народов для осуществления только сельскохозяйственного производства, могут передаваться им на правах аренды, а для сохранения же и развития традиционного образа жизни, хозяйствования и промыслов земельные участки могут передаваться лицам, относящимся к коренным малочисленным народам Севера, Сибири и Дальнего Востока, и их общинам, в безвозмездное срочное пользование.
Данный документ нижняя палата российского парламента планирует рассмотреть 20 января текущего года.
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Reindeer Blog » Mysterious Collapse of Reindeer Blamed on Freak Storms (WIRED)
On a remote island in the Bering Strait during World War II, a tiny band of Americans ran a radar station. Twenty-nine reindeer were placed on St. Matthew Island with them, to be eaten in case of emergency.
The emergency never came, and population biologist Dave Klein counted 6,000 reindeer on the island by 1963, spread out over just 50 square miles of land. Then, sailors started to report seeing bleached reindeer skeletons dotting the island. When Klein returned in 1966, there were only 42 left and no males with the ability to reproduce. The herd dwindled and eventually went extinct.
There this strange mystery sat for decades until extreme weather specialist John Walsh of the University of Alaska-Fairbanks and University of Nebraska climatologist Martha Shulski teamed up with the now 80-year-old Klein to solve it. They announced their findings this week here at the American Geophysical Union meeting.
It turns out that a series of winter cyclones comparable in intensity to a Category 2 hurricane buffeted the island in early 1964. Overpopulated and isolated as the island was, the reindeer herd proved vulnerable to the extreme storms, which brought much heavier than normal snowfall, stronger winds, and lower temperatures.
The question that remains is why these extra-strong storms occurred. For reasons that still aren’t understood, a series of weather systems sweeping across the Pacific from Japan intensified just east of the dateline and then headed north.
Over that winter, the closest weather station to reindeer’s home, St. Paul Island, got more than six and a half feet more snow than normal. The barometric pressure differential between the low of the strongest storm and the regional high in Siberia was the highest in the 60-year period for which measurements are available. The reindeer were no match.
Source: WIRED
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News from arctic-council.org » From Pole to Pole
The Arctic Tern is the champion of long-distance migration. Impressive results from a project coordinated by CAFF. [Link]
Arctic Peoples » Find the odd ones out on new learning site
Discovering the Arctic is the name of a web learning facility developed and recently launched by the Royal Geographical Society. It is aimed at the secondary school level (14-16 year olds) in the United Kingdom. According to the Royal Geographical Society, it is intended to be a resource to be dipped into depending on specific [...] [Link]
Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Buorre Ådå Jahke /Gott Nytt År/ Happy New Year!
Buoris allihopa!
Jag vill önska er alla ett Gott Nytt År/Buorre Ådå Jahke/ Happy New Year!
Hivás
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Árran » Gallery of paintings by Solveig Arneng Johnson
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Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árran populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt center årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
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Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árrans populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt centers årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt center, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
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Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árran populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt center årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt center, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
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Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árran populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt center årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt center, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
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Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árran populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt center årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt center, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
[Link]
Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árran populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt center årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt center, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
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Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árran populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt center årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt center, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
[Link]
Sáhkadit -betraktelser från en lulesamisk etnolog » Bårjås 2009 Árran populãrvetenskapliga tidskrift
Árran, julevsáme guovdasj/lulsamiskt center årliga tidskrift har nyligen kommit ut ur tryckpressarna!
Den finns att bestãlla via Árran, julvsáme guovdasj/lulesamiskt, se webbsidan: http://www.arran.no/baarjaas-2009.4655177-60822.html
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News from arctic-council.org » Inuit And Arctic Indigenous Peoples Day
The Arctic indigenous peoples are a valuable contribution to the work of the Arctic Council. [Link]
Reindeer Blog » In Russian Arctic, global warming threatens traditional way of life (Deutsche Welle)
Russian scientists have doubts over whether global warming is here to stay and whether it’s man made. But for the Saami in Russia’s north, the mild winters already pose a threat to their traditional way of life. All around the Arctic, the effects of a temperature rise are visible, and native inhabitants of the tundras in Europa, Asia and North America are struggling with the new reality.
That’s also true for the Saami reindeer herders on Russia’s Kola Peninsula, an area bordering on Norway and Finnish Lapland. But, in Russia, climate change is not a hot-button issue, nor is much attention being paid to the upcoming climate summit in Copenhagen. Russian scientists say they have no evidence that global warming is a long-term trend, and doubt whether it is a man-made phenomenon.
A Little Ice Age?
In the country’s northern port in the town of Murmansk, the Marine Biological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences monitors life in and around the Barents Sea.
The institute has amassed an impressive database concerning temperature and salinity of the sea over the course of the 20th century. Referring to the statistics, biologist Pavel Makarevich says there are clear cycles during which both temperature and salinity rise and fall. These cycles, he says, are related to solar activity.
“In my opinion and that of our institute, the problems connected to the current stage of warming are being exaggerated,” he says. “What we are dealing with is not a global warming of the atmosphere or of the oceans.”
Makarevich expects a normalization of Arctic temperatures in the coming years. This view appears to have the support of a growing number of Russian scientists. Some even predict a temporary cooling of temperatures towards the middle of this century, a phenomenon known as a ”Little Ice Age.”
Shorter winters
But for the Saami reindeer herders on Russia’s Kola Peninsula between the Barents and the White Sea, a drop in temperature is urgently needed. Over the last few years, the winters have become milder and milder, threatening the traditional lifestyle of the Saami.
This year again, the onset of winter was late in northern Russia. Normally, the tundra would already be covered by a deep layer of snow, and the numerous lakes would have a thick layer of ice.
But snow cover is minimal and some of the lakes are not even frozen yet. For native reindeer herders, that’s a problem, because the traditional slaughter season has to be postponed.
“The slaughter used to start in early November,” says herder Nikolai Filippov. “At that time, the ice is usually strong enough to carry the reindeer. But over the past few years, the ice has been weak and sparse, so we cannot travel, and the slaughter has to be postponed until just before the New Year. This year, yields will be minimal.”
Each fall, the big reindeer herds are somewhere on the vast expanses of the Kola Peninsula. At the onset of winter, they have to be found and driven to Lovozero, the center of the Russian Saami community. But that can only happen under true winter conditions.
“Last year it was exactly the same. This year we do not know yet how the herds are, and what will happen later in the autumn,” Filippov says.
“Sometimes it is still raining around the New Year, and you cannot go over bare ice with the reindeer. So then you will have to wait until after the New Year. In fact, the winter only starts in January. For now it is a mixture of frost and thaw.”
The capricious weather has all kinds of practical consequences for the everyday life of the Saami. Nikolai Filippov and his wife Maria live in a chum, a traditional Saami tipi-like tent with a hole in the top to let out the smoke.
Maria used to prepare lots of food for the winter. But now that is out of the question, because the thaw often comes in the middle of winter and the meat can no longer be preserved. The tundra is no longer a reliable natural refrigerator.
“In the old days it never rained in December,” says Maria Filippova. “When it rains in winter, the snow disappears and we can’t move on with our animals to search for reindeer moss.”
For thousands of years, the Saami lived according to an ancient and extremely reliable calendar. But today, says Nikolai Filippov, everything seems to be off course. For him, there is no question that nature is changing. What is happening in the tundra today is something the 59-year-old has never seen before.
The Arctic as a future trading route
The city of Murmansk, a few hours’ drive to the north, seems a world away. In the harbor, there’s the Lenin – the first Soviet nuclear-powered icebreaker built in the 1950s. Today, the heavy vessel is a museum. Andrei Smirnov was the Lenin’s last captain when the ship was retired in 1989.
“No other country has boundaries like Russia that stretch so far to the North,” Smirnov says. He is convinced that Russia will need icebreakers like this one, now and in the future.
“We have been using the northern passage since 1932. It is a sea route of national significance, and since 1991, foreign ships have also been allowed to use it. This year as well, foreigners have used the passage, and we have successfully guided them through with our icebreakers.”
Smirnov is referring to ships belonging to the German company Beluga. Earlier this year, they made an impressive voyage from South Korea to Rotterdam, via the Arctic seas north of Russia.
The trip was meant to prove that the North Pole ice is retreating as a result of global warming, and that the northern passage could become an attractive, much shorter alternative for existing routes like the one via the Suez Canal. It sounds great, but longtime members of Russia’s Northern Fleet, such as Nikolai Babich, can only laugh at the thought..
“Saying that one could navigate in the polar seas without the help of icebreakers, or even reach the North Pole unhindered, no, that is not serious,” says Babich.
Babich feels at home in the Russian Arctic. He has visited almost every corner of it during the last 40 years, and he claims there is no-one like him who has studied the area in such detail. The recent rise in global temperature has surprised neither him nor his colleagues. It has happened in the past, he says, and it will happen again.
“The natural processes we have seen during the past decade are mainly the result of the sun’s activity. They show a slight increase in temperature, and as a result, Arctic ice has receded,” he says.
But according to Babich, the situation is changing. The Arctic, he says, is already cooling, not warming. And the Russian government is attentively listening to those scientists who, like Babich, are predicting a cold spell.
Author: Geert Groot Koerkamp
Editor: Deanne Corbett
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News from arctic-council.org » Royal Visit at Arctic Venue
The mobilization of everybody is vital, said Prince Albert of Monaco. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » The Melting Accelerates
The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark at COP15: The time for action is now. [Link]
News from arctic-council.org » An Excellent Idea
Arctic Venue – a side event to COP 15 – was inaugurated by the SAO Chair Lars Møller. The Arctic Venue presents a broad range of Arctic knowledge. [Link]
Arctic Peoples » Saami Joik and Greenlandic Mask Dancing
The Riddu Riddu Festival presents an Indigenous performance in the lavvu (traditional Saami tent) that has been set up on the North Atlantic Quay starring Inger Biret Gaup and Kristian Mølgaard. Experience a magnificent performance combining Joik, the traditional chanting song of the Sami people, and mask dancing from Greenland. The performance exposes two genuine indigenous [...] [Link]
Arctic Peoples » Arctic Indigenous COP15 calendar
IPS’ list of COP15 side events and parallel events organised by, involving or of relevance to Arctic and Indigenous Peoples: 5-6 December, IIPFCC (Indigenous Caucus) preparatory meeting; EEA, Kongens Nytorv 6. 7 December, 16:00, WWF Arctic Tent, Youth Day, Presentation by Arctic members of Canadian Youth Delegation, Nytorv. 8 December, 16:30, WWF Arctic Tent, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Nytorv. 10 [...] [Link]
Arctic Peoples » In the middle of COP15
The 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change opened on Monday, 7 December 2009. Concurrently with COP15, the 5th session of the Kyoto Protocol parties (CMP5) as well as sessions of Subsidiary Bodies and Ad Hoc Working Groups also take place in the Bella Centre. With the [...] [Link]
Árran » Another point of view
[Link]
Arctic Peoples » Dressed up as iceberg
Warming up to the Copenhagen COP15 in December, the North Atlantic House has shrouded itself in an icy garment. A translucent screen imprinted with photographic reproductions of ice covers the waterfront end of the building, giving the appearance from a distance that it has rammed into and is being engulfed by a towering iceberg. The 21 [...] [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Господдержка оленеводства в России сократится вдвое
Российские информационные агентства передают, что 20 ноября Госдума РФ приняла в третьем чтении проект федерального бюджета на 2010 год и плановый период 2011 и 2012 годов.
В итоговом бюджете расходы на государственную поддержку северного оленеводства составили всего 180 млн. руб.
В первоначальном варианте проекта бюджета государственная поддержка северного оленеводства вообще не была предусмотрена. Министерство сельского хозяйства Российской Федерации в связи с антикризисными мерами решила изъять из бюджета отдельную строчку, которая многие годы существовала и содержала расходы на поддержание оленеводства.
На сайте ПОЛИТ.ру сообщается, что в третьем чтении законопроект по бюджету представил председатель комитета Госдумы по бюджету и налогам Юрий Васильев. Он сообщил, что ко второму чтению подано 587 поправок, из них 299 приняты в т. ч. по поддержке северного оленеводства. «Ну как не поддержать северное оленеводство», — сказал глава бюджетного комитета. Однако председатель комитета по делам Севера Валентина Пивненко заявила, что поддержка северного оленеводства сокращена вдвое, «мы больше потратим на северный завоз» – сказала она.
Помимо уже предусмотренных средств, на поддержку сельского хозяйства дополнительно выделено 3,5 млрд руб., в том числе 3 млрд руб. — на поддержку племенного животноводства и 0,5 млрд руб. — на поддержку элитного семеноводства, а также 180 млн руб. — на поддержку северного оленеводства и табунного коневодства.
Фото: Livia Monami
[Link]
News from arctic-council.org » Arctic Venue at COP 15
A unique opportunity to learn more about the Arctic climate [Link]
Arctic Peoples » Films and all at the Copenhagen SAO
The first Senior Arctic Officials (SAO) meeting of the Arctic Council under the Danish Chairmanship was held in Copenhagen on November 12-13, 2009. Over 200 participants came together for two days of intensive discussions on a wide variety of issues important to the Arctic. SAO Chair, Ambassador Lars Møller noted in his opening speech [...] [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Oil and Gas Not the Only Export from Yamal… Also Reindeer Meat
There was an interesting interview in RusBusiness News recently with Aleksandr Mazharov, the Director of the Department for International and Interregional Relations of YaNAO (Yamal Nenets Autonomous Okrug). Obviously, the vast majority and indeed focus of the Yamal economy is its oil and gas reserves. 95.5% of the regions exported products were oil and gas in 2008. However, there has recently emerged a new export – reindeer meat and hides – and Mazharov proudly points out that the region is the only one in Russia exporting these products to the European Union.
Europe has not opened its borders to us straight away. For a number of years we drafted the necessary documents, underwent lengthy approval and control procedures, and only then the EU issued a certificate allowing the supplies of products of the northern reindeer herding to European countries. We have to take into account the fact that the only territory certified is the Yamal district where the main slaughter and meat processing enterprise – the Yamal Reindeer Company – is based.
Despite the fact that the exported products only take a rather narrow niche the competition we have to fight is very serious. There are Finnish producers working in the same segment, and, as strange as it may sound, companies in New Zealand.
Mazharov went on to highlight the quality of their reindeer products, the health benefits of reindeer meat, the plans to increase the sale of soft antlers for the Chinese market, and the partnerships with the Finnish company Kometos Oy.
In a near future the first train of the Finnish deer slaughter line will be commissioned in the Yamal village Antipayuta (Tazovskiy district). Similar enterprises should appear in the village of Seyakha (Yamal district) and the trading post Yuribey (Tazovskiy district). In the future the trading post Payuta should acquire its own slaughter and freezer complex.
This would represent a significant increase in slaughterhouse capacity as currently there is only one slaughterhouse in the region capable of slaughtering reindeer meat to EU standards and packaging, based in Yar-Sale. You can read the full interview here, or read below
Yamal is a region of tough climate and rich mineral wealth. 90% of Russian gas, more than 14% of Russian oil and 54% gas condensate are produced here. It would seem impossible for Yamal to change its image of the country’s “gas store”; however, this is what the government of the autonomous Okrug is trying to achieve. Aleksandr Mazharov, the Director of the Department for International and Interregional Relations of YaNAO, spoke of what the new Yamal brand will be in an interview to RusBusinessNews.
- Mr Mazharov, according to Standard & Poor’s Yamal has positive international investment rating BB+ which corresponds to ruAA+ by the Russian scale. How attractive is the region to foreign business?
There is no doubt that Yamal is a region of great interest for foreign business. This applies, first of all, to the fuel and energy sector.
On 24 September 2009 the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin conducted a working meeting on the issue of the development of gas fields of the Yamal peninsula. CEOs of the largest oil and gas companies took part in the discussion; these included Wulf Bernotat, Chairman of the Board of E.ON, Shell’s CEO Peter Voser, Mitsui and Mitsubishi presidents Masami Iijima and Yorihiko Kojima, as well as Paolo Scaroni, the Head of Italy’s Eni. They were invited to take part in projects being prepared for the implementation in the Autonomous Okrug.
This event gave a strong momentum to the development of plans for the construction of processing capacities, transport infrastructure, energy system facilities on the territory of YaNAO, including those with significant share of foreign investment. The planned scope of measures is aimed at the establishment of a firm foundation for the development of the Autonomous Okrug as the Russian “outpost” on the Arctic territory securing the future access to the Arctic shelf.
- In the conditions of financial crisis the demand for natural resources Yamal is so rich with has started declining. How did this reflect on the region?
- Financial crisis only confirmed for Russia the importance of diversification of economic relations with foreign partners and the need to develop alternative sectors with the involvement of foreign capital. This concerns, first of all, such mono-industry regions as Yamal.
The decline in the demand for mineral resources and the fall of the prices for energy resources, of course, affected the foreign trade turnover. If we compare the results of January-September 2009 with indicators of the same period last year the trade turnover has decreased 2.5 times – down to 183 million US dollars. I think this is a temporary trend and after the recession the growth of economies of the world’s leading states will inevitably begin, this includes Russia, and this will lead to the new wave of demand for energy.
In order to decrease the dependency of the region on the affect of these macroeconomic factors the Administration of the region at the moment is focusing its efforts on the development of long term multi-vector external economic links not involving oil and gas production. Particular attention and support is given to projects aimed at the creation of new jobs, development of production and processing capacities directly within the Autonomous Okrug.
This list includes projects on export of meat and hides of reindeer and the development of the tourism sector. The number of tourists travelling Yamal is growing every year. Only in January-September this year the Okrug was visited by 5 thousand Russian tourists and 200 travellers from abroad. I am sure this industry has an enormous potential.
- What are the specifics of the promotion of reindeer herding products from YaNAO in Russian and international markets?
- Due to objective causes Yamal cannot boast a broad range of exports. Such factors as the geographic position, climate peculiarities, the specific nature of economy, and sparse population are unimportant for the majority of Russian regions; they often play the prevailing role in the conditions of the Extreme North, though.
According to the 2008 results 95.5% of exported products made in Yamal was the fossil fuel, oil and petroleum products and 4.5% was equipment and mechanical devices. At the same time Yamal is the first Russian region exporting products of the northern reindeer herding – meat and hides of the northern reindeer – to the countries of the European Union.
Europe has not opened its borders to us straight away. For a number of years we drafted the necessary documents, underwent lengthy approval and control procedures, and only then the EU issued a certificate allowing the supplies of products of the northern reindeer herding to European countries. We have to take into account the fact that the only territory certified is the Yamal district where the main slaughter and meat processing enterprise – the Yamal Reindeer Company – is based.
Despite the fact that the exported products only take a rather narrow niche the competition we have to fight is very serious. There are Finnish producers working in the same segment, and, as strange as it may sound, companies in New Zealand.
- How do you manage surviving such formidable competition?
- The Yamal Reindeer Company counts on the high quality of the product they supply, in particular its eco qualities. It is worth pointing out that the reindeer meat is a dietary product containing a minimum amount of cholesterol. Moreover the herds have not been affected by diseases which in recent years shook the global beef and poultry markets.
The remote pastures, harsh climate, pure natural feed, lack of contact with domestic animals, and a strict veterinary control guarantee safety, eco properties, and remarkable gourmet properties of the meat. Compared to the “red” European or New Zealand meat the northern reindeer meat is valued for its more tender texture, succulence, and being purely natural. The reindeer grazes in natural conditions which rules out artificial feeding entirely.
In 2008-2009, over 180 tons of the Yamal venison was shipped to Europe. In October within the framework of the international exhibition ANUGA – 2009 agreements were reached with Brodersen & Kover GmbH (Germany) on the supply of 100 tons of venison fillets; the issue of cooperation is being negotiated with Polarika (Sweden); further discussions with Finnish colleagues are ongoing.
I have to point out that the difficult geographic position of YaNAO introduces certain corrections to the logistics process making it much more complex. Moreover, there are bureaucratic difficulties when undergoing procedures of customs and veterinary control.
As well as venison we are preparing exports of reindeer hides. Kero Leather AB (Sweden) is prepared to continue the collaboration with the Yamal deer herders. In 2010 suppliers of leather to Italian shoe and furniture makers are planning to buy several thousand reindeer hides in the polar region. Partners from Germany and Greece, as well as the Swedes, are interested in this kind of product.
- The herd numbers of domesticated reindeer in Yamal exceeds 600 thousand, this is the largest herd in the World. The production of meat and hide, probably, does not describe the limit of the potential of the reindeer herding sector, does it?
- In the future Yamal may develop the production of the most active natural substance – pantohematogen. This is a bioactive food additive which is the most effective tonic, nootropic, and biostimulating substance used for mental and physical exhaustion, asthenic conditions, neuroses, weak heart, vascular disorders, and diabetes mellitus. As valuable in terms of medicinal properties are the preparations “Dry blood for antler baths” and “Lyophilic dried blood”.
According to marketing studies the demand for pantohematogen, dry blood for antler baths and lyophilic dried blood exceeds the offer several times. In particular this applies to countries with highly developed medicine like China and South Korea. I have to point out that the price of these products in the Russian market is 3 to 5 times lower than abroad, for instance in the Chinese market.
- With which other countries, in addition to Sweden and Germany, does YaNAO actively develop cooperation? Which countries may be regarded as permanent partners, which markets have to be mastered in the future?
- The long standing and reliable partners of Yamal are the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Manitoba. NORDEP, the institutional development project in the North, is being implemented jointly with Canada for many years.
The mutually beneficial links have also been established with Finnish partners. Specialists from Kometos Oy (Finland) install and commission meat processing plants. In a near future the first train of the Finnish deer slaughter line will be commissioned in the Yamal village Antipayuta (Tazovskiy district). Similar enterprises should appear in the village of Seyakha (Yamal district) and the trading post Yuribey (Tazovskiy district). In the future the trading post Payuta should acquire its own slaughter and freezer complex.
Links with German, Italian, and American companies are important in the field of fuel and energy cooperation.
There are traditionally strong links between Yamal and Bulgaria. 1250 Yamal schoolchildren and students annually spend holidays in the recreation camp for children “Yamal” located in Kiten. We also have friendly relations with Luxembourg. Kids from Yamal visited the country within the young people’s exchange programme. I cannot omit mentioning the links in the sphere of culture and youth policies with colleagues in Austria, Serbia, Hungary and other countries.
On the whole the Okrug’s foreign economic cooperation geography is very broad. In recent times a particular attention is afforded to the development of links with China. In January-June 2009 Yamal’s trade turnover with China amounted to 33.3% of the foreign turnover total. Opening the Okrug’s representation there is planned for the next year. I would like to point out that 2010 will be extremely important to the people of Yamal as YaNAO will be celebrating its 80th anniversary.
Interview prepared by Valentina Mazharova
[Link]
Reindeer Blog » Магадан закупает в Якутии 120 племенных оленей
Договоренность о закупке племенного поголовья северных оленей в Якутии была достигнута между губернатором Магаданской области Николаем ДУДОВЫМ и президентом Республики Саха (Якутия) Вячеславом ШТЫРОВЫМ сообщает Информагентство “Sakhalife” со ссылкой на «INFOLine» (www.ADVIS.ru) .
Как сообщил заместитель председателя комитета сельского хозяйства и продовольствия администрации Магаданской области Николай КОШЕЛЕНКО, по поручению губернатора комитет прорабатывал вопросы приобретения племенных оленей с Министерством сельского хозяйства и заготовок Якутии. Якутяне предложили приобрести оленей у одного из лучших оленеводческих хозяйств республики – государственного унитарного предприятия опытно-производственного хозяйства “Ючугейское”.
На закупку и доставку племенного поголовья северных оленей в рамках реализации областной целевой программы “Развитие сельского хозяйства в Магаданской области на 2009-2012 годы” из областного бюджета МУСХП “Ирбычан” было выделено 2,7 млн. рублей.
По словам Николая Кошеленко, благодаря соседям удалось достаточно быстро решить вопрос доставки оленей на Колыму. Поскольку аэропорт Усть-Неры не принимает грузовые самолеты, животных решено было отправить автотранспортом. Четыре специализированных под перевозку оленей машины предоставляет Якутия.
24 ноября четверо специалистов “Ирбычана” во главе с руководителем управления сельского хозяйства администрации Северо-Эвенского района Геннадием НОВИКОВЫМ выедут в Оймяконский район Якутии. Им предстоит доставить на Колыму 120 племенных самцов оленей отела 2007, 2008 годов.
Предполагается, что в пути олени будут три-четыре дня. Оленеводы “Ирбычана” будут сопровождать ценный груз на всем пути до рудника “Кубака”, неподалеку от которого базируется в настоящее время оленеводческая бригада. В дороге им предстоит разворачивать временные корали для оленей – кормить их, давать снег, возможность походить.
По мнению руководителя МУСХП “Ирбычан” Анатолия ХАНЧАЛАНА, племенные самцы позволят улучшить породный состав северо-эвенского стада и увеличить поголовье оленей. На сегодняшний день в хозяйстве около 16 тыс. оленей, из которых 3 тыс. – поголовье населения. Основной целью предприятия остается повышение качества и количества поголовья. По-прежнему промышленной заготовки мяса в хозяйстве нет, так как основное внимание оленеводы уделяют селекционной работе.
Проблема сохранения и увеличения численности сельскохозяйственных животных Колымы, основным из которых является северный олень, постоянно находится в поле зрения администрации области. В регионе действует областная целевая программа “Развитие оленеводства в Магаданской области на 2006-2010 годы”. В рамках программы в этом году хозяйству “Ирбычан” выделялось, например, около 6 млн. рублей на содержание поголовья оленей и проведение лечебно-профилактических мероприятий в оленеводстве.
Кроме того, со следующего года в регионе будет действовать областная целевая программа “Поддержка коренных малочисленных народов Севера, проживающих на территории Магаданской области на 2010-2015 годы”, в которой особое внимание уделено поддержке традиционных отраслей хозяйствования коренных малочисленных народов Севера, в том числе и оленеводства.
Arctic Peoples » Arctic Parliamentarians come together to discuss Arctic Ocean
Members of the Standing Committee of Parliamentarians of Arctic Regions (SCPAR) met at the Finnish Parliament in Helsinki on November 18 and 19, 2009 for a workshop on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) in relation to the Arctic Ocean. Experts from the University of the Arctic, the Commission on the [...] [Link]
Árran » Lapsang
[Link]
Reindeer Blog » Life in UK proves fatal to reindeer (Times Online)
Reindeer imported to Britain for Santa’s grottoes and festive parades are dying prematurely after exposure to diseases from British farm animals, a senior government vet has warned. An official investigation has revealed a sharp increase in deaths in young reindeer, also linked to bad diet, poor welfare and the stress of being uprooted from their natural habitat. Dr Aiden Foster, who carried out the research at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), said the deer, which normally live to 12 years, were badly suited to life in Britain. He said: “Reindeer are highly specialised Arctic deer. The recent fashion of keeping them in captive situations many degrees south of their normal range is fraught with health and welfare issues.” The warning comes amid greater commercial exploitation of the animals, which are now a common festive feature. Today, reindeer parades are planned in Birmingham and Middlesbrough, and others in cities across Britain. RELATED LINKS A Christmas day out from London Arctic thaw brings boom in reindeer population About 500 of the animals have been imported in the past five years, taking advantage of a relaxation of quarantine rules. Some cases are detailed in quarterly bulletins published by the VLA’s network of regional laboratories. In the past year these have included: • A two-year-old female kept on a farm near Shrewsbury, which died of malignant catarrhal fever — a sheep disease that causes mucus to pour from their muzzles. Reindeer are highly vulnerable to this. • A herd of seven reindeer, from the same area, which contracted liver and gut flukes, probably from contact with farm animals. • A reindeer kept near Winchester that died from lung infections. • A 15-month-old animal killed by parasites and copper deficiency. Reindeer owners are not obliged to notify the VLA of unusual deaths, so Foster is uncertain exactly how many reindeer there are in Britain, or how many have died, but he said the trend was worrying: “We have noticed a significant increase in the number of submissions of reindeer carcases and samples, and when we looked at the causes of death it was clear there were common factors.” Earlier this year, Foster outlined his concerns in a paper given to the Veterinary Deer Society, and a lay version of his research is about to be published in Smallholder magazine. Foster hopes it will make farmers aware of the risks of buying reindeer, most of which are purchased for hiring out for festive parades and Santa’s grottoes in shopping centres around Britain. Foster points out that reindeer suffer when removed from their natural life of roaming the tundra, eating fresh lichen and other plants and mingling with fellow reindeer. He said: “They are not like other livestock. It is very difficult to keep these animals here. They are semi-wild and vulnerable to the diseases and parasites carried by British farm animals.” Foster says much of Britain’s farmland is unsuitable for reindeer and many owners simply lack the expertise to keep them. He warns that reindeer also carry microbes dangerous to humans, such as salmonella, campylobacter, E coli and yersinia. Inexperienced owners are also at risk. In September this year, Kay Davies was gored by Mr Frosty, her 18-stone reindeer, after entering its pen while the creature was in rut, a period of high aggression. Davies owns the firm Wedding Horses, based in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, and planned to rent Mr Frosty out for Christmas displays. Davies, who has since had the reindeer destroyed, said: “I fed him the day before without a problem.” Tilly Smith, owner of the Cairngorm reindeer herd and widely regarded as Britain’s authority on the animals, believes there is nothing inherently wrong in using the animals for such events. She supplied a team of reindeer for the Christmas parade at Harrods earlier this month, with no ill effects. The creatures were part of her 150-strong herd, which since 1952 has roamed over hundreds of acres of Scottish mountains — a landscape chosen for its similarity to their native habitat. She said: “When animals are imported, they have been taken from huge, semi-wild herds and then they are expected to live alone or in small groups in enclosed areas, often near other livestock. It’s no wonder they get sick.” Foster said: “Like puppies, reindeer should be kept for life, not just for Christmas.” 
Picture : James Marshall. Reindeer imported to Britain for Santa’s grottoes and festive parades are dying prematurely after exposure to diseases from British farm animals, a senior government vet has warned.
An official investigation has revealed a sharp increase in deaths in young reindeer, also linked to bad diet, poor welfare and the stress of being uprooted from their natural habitat.
Dr Aiden Foster, who carried out the research at the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), said the deer, which normally live to 12 years, were badly suited to life in Britain. He said: “Reindeer are highly specialised Arctic deer. The recent fashion of keeping them in captive situations many degrees south of their normal range is fraught with health and welfare issues.”
The warning comes amid greater commercial exploitation of the animals, which are now a common festive feature. Today, reindeer parades are planned in Birmingham and Middlesbrough, and others in cities across Britain.
About 500 of the animals have been imported in the past five years, taking advantage of a relaxation of quarantine rules. Some cases are detailed in quarterly bulletins published by the VLA’s network of regional laboratories. In the past year these have included:
- A two-year-old female kept on a farm near Shrewsbury, which died of malignant catarrhal fever — a sheep disease that causes mucus to pour from their muzzles. Reindeer are highly vulnerable to this.
- A herd of seven reindeer, from the same area, which contracted liver and gut flukes, probably from contact with farm animals.
- A reindeer kept near Winchester that died from lung infections.
- A 15-month-old animal killed by parasites and copper deficiency.
Reindeer owners are not obliged to notify the VLA of unusual deaths, so Foster is uncertain exactly how many reindeer there are in Britain, or how many have died, but he said the trend was worrying: “We have noticed a significant increase in the number of submissions of reindeer carcases and samples, and when we looked at the causes of death it was clear there were common factors.”
Earlier this year, Foster outlined his concerns in a paper given to the Veterinary Deer Society, and a lay version of his research is about to be published in Smallholder magazine. Foster hopes it will make farmers aware of the risks of buying reindeer, most of which are purchased for hiring out for festive parades and Santa’s grottoes in shopping centres around Britain.
Foster points out that reindeer suffer when removed from their natural life of roaming the tundra, eating fresh lichen and other plants and mingling with fellow reindeer. He said: “They are not like other livestock. It is very difficult to keep these animals here. They are semi-wild and vulnerable to the diseases and parasites carried by British farm animals.”
Foster says much of Britain’s farmland is unsuitable for reindeer and many owners simply lack the expertise to keep them. He warns that reindeer also carry microbes dangerous to humans, such as salmonella, campylobacter, E coli and yersinia.
Inexperienced owners are also at risk. In September this year, Kay Davies was gored by Mr Frosty, her 18-stone reindeer, after entering its pen while the creature was in rut, a period of high aggression.
Davies owns the firm Wedding Horses, based in Whittlesey, Cambridgeshire, and planned to rent Mr Frosty out for Christmas displays.
Davies, who has since had the reindeer destroyed, said: “I fed him the day before without a problem.”
Tilly Smith, owner of the Cairngorm reindeer herd and widely regarded as Britain’s authority on the animals, believes there is nothing inherently wrong in using the animals for such events.
She supplied a team of reindeer for the Christmas parade at Harrods earlier this month, with no ill effects. The creatures were part of her 150-strong herd, which since 1952 has roamed over hundreds of acres of Scottish mountains — a landscape chosen for its similarity to their native habitat.
She said: “When animals are imported, they have been taken from huge, semi-wild herds and then they are expected to live alone or in small groups in enclosed areas, often near other livestock. It’s no wonder they get sick.”
Foster said: “Like puppies, reindeer should be kept for life, not just for Christmas.”
Read story on Reindeer and Christmas here on the Reindeer Portal
Story Source: Jonathan Leake, Sunday Times, Nov 15 2009.
[Link]
News from arctic-council.org » The Arctic Council prepares for COP 15
In a successful two-day meeting in Copenhagen, the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials approved a number of reports and from the Council’s working groups and discussed two new task forces. [Link]
Reindeer Blog » Global warming a growing threat to Arctic reindeer (AFP)
by Catherine Marciano. JARFJORD, Norway (AFP) – On Norway’s border with Russia, the consequences of climate change are affecting the reindeer population as rising temperatures hit food stocks and industry growth eats into vital grazing land.
“Over the past three years, I’ve had to give some hay to my 800 reindeer during the coldest months. It’s more expensive and it gives me more work,” said Jan Egil Trasti, a reindeer herder from the native Sami people.
The reason: the lichen his animals graze on has become tougher to find as winter temperatures rise. The snow thaws, and along with rain, then freezes anew — covering the ground in layers impervious to all but the most tenacious reindeer.
Grazing land is also disappearing under the weight of industry as buildings, pipelines, roads and other infrastructure increasingly dot old pastures.
Trasti’s nomadic ancestors have raised these beasts for hundreds of years. His grandfather worked the Russian tundra before moving to the Norwegian coast.
“I have it in my blood. I hope one of my sons will take over,” the herder said. He has, though, a hint of doubt in his eyes, his meagre earnings well below the average Norwegian salary.
Only a minority of Sami — some 3,000 — make their living raising and herding in Norway, home to around 240,000 reindeer.
In this month of November, just weeks ahead of a key UN climate summit in Denmark, snow has not yet blanketed the flora in the Far North.
Indeed temperatures in this region near the Barents Sea are unseasonably mild, above zero degrees Celsius.
In the past, when the snows have come, they have generally fallen on dry ground, whereas now they fall on lichen engorged with water.
Trasti is no scientist, and environmental experts hesitate to link specific weather events to long-term climate change, but trends over the last several decades have clearly shown the Arctic hit hard by global warming.
In September, a study in the journal Science reported dramatic effects on animals in the Arctic due to a one-degree Celsius warming over the past 150 years.
The Arctic tends to warm three times faster than elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere because of a phenomenon called Arctic amplification — a separate study in the same journal noted that summer temperatures were some 1.4 degrees Celsius warmer than they should have been by the year 2000.
Jonathan Colman, specialist in “reindeer ecology” at the University of Oslo, explained that sometimes “there’s wet ice in the lichen.”
“It gets into their stomachs and they can’t digest the food.”
To avoid losing precious livestock, the Sami are forced to move reindeer to drier ground, meaning it is more important than ever to respect the tradition of driving herds across the entire north of the nation.
An animal can sell for 240 euros (359 dollars), and its meat for around seven euros a kilogramme (10.46 dollars per 2.2 pounds).
Trasti can make extra money selling the hides or antlers to tourists, and also gets compensation if his animals are killed by predators.
Norwegian Sami follow the herd with vehicles, but their cousins in Russia still accompany the animals with sleds, camping as they go.
But the drive, and the ability to follow the reindeer, has been increasingly hampered by industrialisation.
An iron ore mine which was closed down 15 years ago has re-opened nearby, while elsewhere liquid gas terminals, wind farms and roads are dotted across, or separate, traditional pastures.
The International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry has expressed regret that “the herders have only a marginal influence on the development of their own traditional lands.”
That’s despite a law that “Norway was built on the territory of two people, the Sami and the Norwegians,” said Christina Henriksen, a Sami who coordinates an aid programme for native peoples in the Arctic region.
“For me, being a Sami means herding reindeer,” said Trasti, who does not speak his native language.
“My parents weren’t allowed to speak Sami at school in the 60’s,” he said, and out of guilt, they “didn’t teach us the language.”
For the moment though, reindeer numbers are holding up under the strain of global warming, but that’s a fact Colman puts down to their very resilience.
“If reindeer weren’t as adaptable, there wouldn’t be any left,” he said.
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Reindeer Blog » Hundreds of Reindeer Drown in Sweden as Ice Breaks
Between 2-400 reindeer have drowned in a river near Jokkmokk in northern Sweden after thin surface ice cracked while the herd were moving to their winter pastures.
Reindeer herders in the region were taking around 3,000 animals across the river, a route that has been safely crossed on previous occasions.
”The ice suddenly gave way and hundreds of reindeer fell into the water,” said Bertil Kielatis, chairman of the Sirges Sami village in Jokkmokk.
”Now we are working to recover the animals that have drowned,” he added.
Sirges is Sweden’s largest Sami village with around 300 members and 90 herders.
The incident means a substantial financial loss for the herders and disaster for the local community.
”It’s a tragedy in many ways,” Kielatis added. ”Not only for the reindeer that suffered but for the herders who were helpless to save their animals.”
The reindeer were lead by herders who drove snow-mobiles and were assisted by a helicopter.
Kielatis added there was nothing unusual about the route or the way the herding was carried out.
”This is how we usually work nowadays when leading a large herd up or down from the mountains,” he said.
Source> The Local, NRK Sami Radio, Sveriges Radio
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