Safe, sustainable transports in reindeer husbandry area 2.0

Purpose and goal

To find and test sustainable and safe methods for lorry transport of ore and other traffic through reindeer grazing areas and to increase the social acceptance of both the local mining industry and its wider impact and the ongoing reindeer husbandry in the area by communicating the project idea and results. The project will collect statistics related to accidents and other traffic incidents related to reindeer on or near roads. Finally, the project will raise the level of knowledge among the project partners about each other´s activities, challenges and opportunities.

Expected effects and result

The results of the project will minimise the number of road-killed reindeer in Sattajärvi sameby´s reindeer husbandry area and operational disturbances due to reindeer staying on or near the road, and increase traffic safety. Furthermore, a working method is tested where the sameby is given the conditions to bring forward the collection and feeding of the reindeer herd, as well as the method on how this collection in the current core area should be done. The technology and methods are intended to be used in areas other than the test area if successful.

Planned approach and implementation

The project has already built the necessary facilities consisting of a feeding station, extended fencing and collection enclosure and a camera for remote reading. During the project, the facility will be updated and the technical solutions will be upgraded. Within the project, new technology will be developed and tested (transmitters) between the reindeer and the ore truck. If necessary, reindeer will be transported by road transport annually between October and April from the collection enclosure about 8 km to the sameby´s regular feeding enclosure in Autio.