European Rewilding Network
ERN2204
Koitajoki Basin
Flagship rewilding of a Finnish river
Koitajoki Catchment is a 6500 square kilometer river system of Koitajoki. Koitajoki River Rewilding is a basin-wide traditional knowledge and science-based restoration project over six years (2020-2026) that aims to bring a large North European boreal river basin back to relative ecological health while stimulating a resurgence of traditional knowledge, oral histories and local governance in the villages of the river. Snowchange is leading the Koitajoki restoration work with technical and communications support from UK-based partners, The Gaia Foundation. Gaia will bring experience from successful community-led cultural and ecological revival projects in the Amazon basin and across sub-Saharan Africa.
Project:
Koitajoki Basin
Region:
North Karelia, Finland and Republic of Karelia, Russia
Type of protection:
2 national parks, one strict IUCN protected area
Type of project:
Creating space for wilder nature, Fostering the development of nature based economies, Increasing interest in the wild through communications, Magnification of rewilding impact and practices
Aim and vision:
We are working with a range of partners to install catchment-wide measures and support other initiatives to bring Koitajoki and its diverse cultures back to health. Rewilding Plan for Koitajoki: A world-first traditional knowledge- and science-based online plan will be produced, revealing a) current status and what has taken place b) what needs to happen to rewild and restore damages c) where actions should be directed first. This will initially focus on the Finnish part of the Koitajoki basin. It will be realised as a visually attractive website in English and Finnish, potentially also in Russian.
Land Use and Occupancy Studies of Koitajoki Basin: Whilst the Koitajoki area is well known due to the fame of the Kalevala, very little is known of the past and present land uses and occupancies of the traditional villages of the region. This work stream, in dialogue with the knowledge holders and with archival materials, will produce a land use and occupancy map of the basin.
Russian Survey: By working with Russian and Finnish experts the first ever survey of the Russian part of Koitajoki will be realised by Summer 2021. this will focus on establishing the status, trends and biocultural aspects of Russian parts of Koitajoki, such as lake Vieksjärvi, which are to a large extent unknown at present.
Initiating Community-Led Rewilding: Two sites have been already secured as spear-head rewilding sites. Restoration actions will commence on these sites as demonstration steps. This will include restoration of wetlands, plant and bird surveys and assessing rewilding from the prism of traditional knowledge.
Land Use and Occupancy Studies of Koitajoki Basin: Whilst the Koitajoki area is well known due to the fame of the Kalevala, very little is known of the past and present land uses and occupancies of the traditional villages of the region. This work stream, in dialogue with the knowledge holders and with archival materials, will produce a land use and occupancy map of the basin.
Russian Survey: By working with Russian and Finnish experts the first ever survey of the Russian part of Koitajoki will be realised by Summer 2021. this will focus on establishing the status, trends and biocultural aspects of Russian parts of Koitajoki, such as lake Vieksjärvi, which are to a large extent unknown at present.
Initiating Community-Led Rewilding: Two sites have been already secured as spear-head rewilding sites. Restoration actions will commence on these sites as demonstration steps. This will include restoration of wetlands, plant and bird surveys and assessing rewilding from the prism of traditional knowledge.
Other activities:
Community involved, Eco tourism, Education, High-impact communications, Recreational activities, Research
Results so far:
In 2018 a large report highlighted the ecological status of Koitajoki and her wilderness cultures. In 2019 a Documentary about the River Seining is released first in Italy and then globally. In 2020 whole basin-wide rewilding action is under way. Of special attention is the Havukkakallio cultural heritage area survey, until 2022. In 2021 large scale assesment of rewilding on Koitajoki has been done.
Inspirational value:
Rewilding and restoring large natural sites to serve as internationally relevant biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks helps to both store carbon (in the peatlands and forests) and actively trap carbon dioxide in the future when fully restored. The ecosystem benefits will service local communities and interconnected catchments. Restoration leads to the natural succession-based return of species, water tables, ecosystem characteristics and carbon trapping.
Experience you would like to share:
It should be noted, that such actions on a basin-wide scale that combine traditional knowledge with science with clear and coherent aims, has not happened often even on the international level. Success in Koitajoki contains therefore stimulus and models for world-wide transformations from a century of troubles into a rewilded home stream of resilient villages, food security and well-being.
1. Traditional and Indigenous knowledge 2. Basin rewilding 3. Peatland restoration without carbon credits
1. Traditional and Indigenous knowledge 2. Basin rewilding 3. Peatland restoration without carbon credits
Experience you would like to gain:
Advancing community-based and -controlled efforts to fight impacts of climate change, enhance biodiversity and protect waterways.
Country
Finland, Russian Federation
Start year
2020
End year
2026
Size (ha)
650000
Area type
Freshwater lakes, Northern coniferous forest, Wetlands
Natural process
Flooding, River dynamics, Wetland dynamics
Flagship species
Bear, Beaver, Lynx, moose, Otter, Wolf
Koitajoki Catchment is a 6500 square kilometer river system of Koitajoki. Koitajoki River Rewilding is a basin-wide traditional knowledge and science-based restoration project over six years (2020-2026) that aims to bring a large North European boreal river basin back to relative ecological health while stimulating a resurgence of traditional knowledge, oral histories and local governance in the villages of the river. Snowchange is leading the Koitajoki restoration work with technical and communications support from UK-based partners, The Gaia Foundation. Gaia will bring experience from successful community-led cultural and ecological revival projects in the Amazon basin and across sub-Saharan Africa.
Country
Finland, Russian Federation
Start year
2020
End year
2026
Size (ha)
650000
Area type
Freshwater lakes, Northern coniferous forest, Wetlands
Natural process
Flooding, River dynamics, Wetland dynamics
Flagship species
Bear, Beaver, Lynx, moose, Otter, Wolf
Specification
Project:
Koitajoki Basin
Region:
North Karelia, Finland and Republic of Karelia, Russia
Type of protection:
2 national parks, one strict IUCN protected area
Description
Type of project:
Creating space for wilder nature, Fostering the development of nature based economies, Increasing interest in the wild through communications, Magnification of rewilding impact and practices
Aim and vision:
We are working with a range of partners to install catchment-wide measures and support other initiatives to bring Koitajoki and its diverse cultures back to health. Rewilding Plan for Koitajoki: A world-first traditional knowledge- and science-based online plan will be produced, revealing a) current status and what has taken place b) what needs to happen to rewild and restore damages c) where actions should be directed first. This will initially focus on the Finnish part of the Koitajoki basin. It will be realised as a visually attractive website in English and Finnish, potentially also in Russian.
Land Use and Occupancy Studies of Koitajoki Basin: Whilst the Koitajoki area is well known due to the fame of the Kalevala, very little is known of the past and present land uses and occupancies of the traditional villages of the region. This work stream, in dialogue with the knowledge holders and with archival materials, will produce a land use and occupancy map of the basin.
Russian Survey: By working with Russian and Finnish experts the first ever survey of the Russian part of Koitajoki will be realised by Summer 2021. this will focus on establishing the status, trends and biocultural aspects of Russian parts of Koitajoki, such as lake Vieksjärvi, which are to a large extent unknown at present.
Initiating Community-Led Rewilding: Two sites have been already secured as spear-head rewilding sites. Restoration actions will commence on these sites as demonstration steps. This will include restoration of wetlands, plant and bird surveys and assessing rewilding from the prism of traditional knowledge.
Land Use and Occupancy Studies of Koitajoki Basin: Whilst the Koitajoki area is well known due to the fame of the Kalevala, very little is known of the past and present land uses and occupancies of the traditional villages of the region. This work stream, in dialogue with the knowledge holders and with archival materials, will produce a land use and occupancy map of the basin.
Russian Survey: By working with Russian and Finnish experts the first ever survey of the Russian part of Koitajoki will be realised by Summer 2021. this will focus on establishing the status, trends and biocultural aspects of Russian parts of Koitajoki, such as lake Vieksjärvi, which are to a large extent unknown at present.
Initiating Community-Led Rewilding: Two sites have been already secured as spear-head rewilding sites. Restoration actions will commence on these sites as demonstration steps. This will include restoration of wetlands, plant and bird surveys and assessing rewilding from the prism of traditional knowledge.
Other activities:
Community involved, Eco tourism, Education, High-impact communications, Recreational activities, Research
Achievements
Results so far:
In 2018 a large report highlighted the ecological status of Koitajoki and her wilderness cultures. In 2019 a Documentary about the River Seining is released first in Italy and then globally. In 2020 whole basin-wide rewilding action is under way. Of special attention is the Havukkakallio cultural heritage area survey, until 2022. In 2021 large scale assesment of rewilding on Koitajoki has been done.
Exchange
Inspirational value:
Rewilding and restoring large natural sites to serve as internationally relevant biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks helps to both store carbon (in the peatlands and forests) and actively trap carbon dioxide in the future when fully restored. The ecosystem benefits will service local communities and interconnected catchments. Restoration leads to the natural succession-based return of species, water tables, ecosystem characteristics and carbon trapping.
Experience you would like to share:
It should be noted, that such actions on a basin-wide scale that combine traditional knowledge with science with clear and coherent aims, has not happened often even on the international level. Success in Koitajoki contains therefore stimulus and models for world-wide transformations from a century of troubles into a rewilded home stream of resilient villages, food security and well-being.<br />
1. Traditional and Indigenous knowledge 2. Basin rewilding 3. Peatland restoration without carbon credits <br />
Experience you would like to gain:
Advancing community-based and -controlled efforts to fight impacts of climate change, enhance biodiversity and protect waterways.