National parks
The Nordic countries benefit from the "right of everyone "(jokamiehen oikeudet in Finnish, allemannsretten in Norwegian, allemansrätten in Swedish). This is a customary right that allows everyone access to nature - on both public and private land - and the gathering of wild berries. It should be noted, however, that in Norwegian Lapland, berry picking is sometimes regulated when explicitly stated.
The region also boasts a number of vast national parks, which combine the preservation of natural areas with the welcoming of visitors. Whatever the season, you can enjoy the beauty of these wide-open spaces with a range of outdoor activities: skiing, hiking, canoeing, northern lights watching, etc. Some parks offer selective collection points for zero-waste hikes, and nature centers to raise visitor awareness. These include
Finland:
Urho Kekkonen National Park: located on the border with Russia, it protects a wide variety of ecosystems, and is home to old-growth forests, tundra and wetlands. Rich in biodiversity, its splendid scenery will delight seasoned hikers.
Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park pallas-Yllästunturi National Park : this widely visited park in the west of the country is home to boreal forests and the Tunturi mountains. It protects a wide variety of habitats and species.
Pyhä-Luosto National Park crossed by the Tunturi mountain range, it protects rich and fragile ecosystems (old-growth forests, wetlands), and will delight hikers in search of wide-open spaces.
Lemmenjoki National Park: the country's largest national park, it is home to a rich biodiversity of old-growth forests, tundra and numerous waterways, including the Lemmenjoki River, where gold panning is still practiced.
Further information: www.visitfinland.com and www.nationalparks.fi
In Sweden:
Abisko National Park : close to the border with Norway, this park in the part of Lapland classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site, offers a variety of picturesque landscapes: Trollsjön lake, considered the clearest in the country, fjords and the Abisko canyon.
Sarek National Park: located in the Unesco-listed area close to the Norwegian border, this vast park boasts breathtaking mountains, rivers and deltas, and is home to a wealth of biodiversity.
Vadvetjåkka National Park : located in the north of the country, this park is home to wetlands, braided rivers and caves, as well as forests and alpine meadows that harbor a rich biodiversity, including remarkable birdlife. This little-visited region is ideal for experienced hikers in search of wilderness and adventure.
Further information: visitsweden.fr
In Norway:
Ånderdalen National Park: located on the island of Senja in the Troms, this park is surrounded by mountains and forests.
Møysalen National Park : located in the Lofoten archipelago, it protects the ecosystems associated with the islands.
Further information: www.environmentagency.no, www.visitnorway.fr
Protecting biodiversity and combating the degradation of natural environments
The decline in biodiversity is one of the 9 planetary limits or thresholds that must not be exceeded if we are to maintain the conditions for a world fit for human habitation. Yet forest management in Lapland is problematic in some areas. In Sweden, for example, industrial deforestation (paper, furniture) has led to the replanting of Canadian pine monocultures, which, unlike boreal forests, are poor in biodiversity. In these plantations in particular, the lichen species native to the old-growth forest are nowhere to be found. Yet these lichens are the main source of food for reindeer populations. Understanding biodiversity and its role is a prerequisite for effective action. Fortunately, humans are keeping a watchful eye, and in 2020, reindeer herders succeeded in suspending a project to destroy 700 hectares of old-growth forest in Swedish Lapland. Lapland is also coveted for its subsoil, which is extremely rich in minerals (including iron and gold), as well as for its rivers and their hydroelectric potential. Sweden operates major mines in Lapland, and intends to develop steel mills and a mega-plant for the manufacture of electric batteries. These facilities, combined with the construction of infrastructure, raise environmental (pollution, destruction and fragmentation of natural environments, loss of biodiversity) and social issues, as they are located on Saami people's territories.
Coping with climate change
Climate change is having an impact on Lapland, where temperature rises have already reached, and in some places exceeded, +2°C above pre-industrial levels. In particular, this phenomenon is changing the migratory routes of reindeer, some of which have been found dead of starvation. The melting of permafrost in the Arctic constitutes a positive feedback loop, amplifying global warming. As it melts, it releases pollutants and greenhouse gases (including methane). Permafrost may also release viruses and large quantities of mercury. We can all do something about this ecological emergency. Lapland is accessible by train and bus, but also by bike, via numerous cycle routes (including EuroVélo 1, 7, 11, 13). Adopting a "zero waste" and "locavore" approach, and reducing your consumption, are just some of the actions you can take to improve your sobriety and authenticity.
