Connecting People with Peatlands

• Home
• Leader+
• Partner Countries
• Peatlands Interpretation
• Sites
• Taking People to Peatlands
• Taking Peatlands to People
• What was learned?
• Library
• Project Contact Details
• Site Map

A path through peatland history

Plan

The project was created through a dialogue between Metsähallitus and the local community. A key part of this was the involvement of the Vikajärvi Village Association and the local action group Peräpohjolan Kehitys. This is the group that promotes and develops village action in Vikajärvi village. It is non-political and has members from the village. The Association tries to keep the village lively, it organises different kind of events and activities in the village and members take part in up-dating the "village plan" guide.

Community consultation and involvement

A first meeting in Vikajärvi village was held on 15^th November 2005, to activate local people and raise awareness of pilot project. There were 18 participants.

On 22^nd November 2005, there was a meeting in Vikajärvi for local people, to think of new ways of linking the peatland site, nature tourism and business. Twelve people were at that meeting. It had two very significant results. One was the boat-handlers' course. The other was a seminar, aimed at setting up a new cooperative society, to operate in the field of tourism. The seminar was held at Vikajärvi village on 9^th February 2006, aimed at sharing information to lead to the establishment of a cooperative society. Sixteen people participated in this seminar.

Surveys

In summer 2005 Ympäristökeskus did a nature inventory (plants and animals). With help of this inventory, the Lapland Regional Environment Centre suggested how to carry out work on the site in ways that would be compatible with its natural heritage value.

The Geological Survey of Finland did a peat survey on the site in summer 2005. They explored the quality and depth of peat layers (strata). With the help of this exploration, they explained the site's geological evolution after the last Ice Age.

The Vikajärvi Village Association gathered old meadow culture history. This was done by interviewing old people from the local area.

Proposals

• Proposed starting point for a path: the Vattunki-Ponds Rest Area, where information can also be provided about meadow culture.
• Self-guided nature trail (about 1.3 km) around the meadow culture site. planned as a circuit, which goes back to the Rest Area.
• Barn, wood stack and meadow cabin (on the site of the existing ruins). To be built close to the meadow culture path, using traditional building methods.
• Culture site intended to be an active site, where hay is cut from natural peatland vegetation, dried and stored in the barn.
• Meadow cabin intended to be a working facility and visitor base.
• Nature-tour companies can use the meadow culture site to benefit their businesses.
• Some tour operators could benefit from a better link between the river, where boat trips can be made, and the peatland.
• Training in boat handling planned as part of the project, to increase skills on offer from local guides.
• On-site interpretation to include an element of 'costume interpretation', where people dressed in traditional style tell stories relating to the history and natural heritage of the site.

Click on pictures for larger images.