European Rewilding Network
ERN2205

Näätämö basin

Ancient home of the indigenous Sámi

A restored spawning area on the Näätämö River.
Snowchange Cooperative
The Näätämö (Finnish) or Neiden (Norwegian) is a river in Finland's Lapland, north of Lake Inari.
Since 2011 the Skolt Sámi and Snowchange have implemented the very first collaborative management of the whole river catchment area. 
The river is an important waterway for Atlantic salmon.
Magnus Lundgren / Wild Wonders of Europe

The Näätämö (Finnish) or Neiden (Norwegian) is a river in Finland’s Lapland, north of Lake Inari. It flows from Lake Iijärvi in Inari Municipality through Norway’s Sør-Varanger Municipality and empties into the Neidenfjorden, an arm off the main Varangerfjorden of the Barents Sea. Based on annual catch, the Neiden is Norway’s third most productive river for salmon fishing. Atlantic salmon, lake trout, sea trout, graylings and pike are all endemic species.

Näätämö basin or Njauddam (Northern Sami) is the ancient home of the Indigenous Skolt Sámi peoples. In 1944 the Suonikylä Skolt Sámi were re-located at the end of the WW2 to Njauddam. The central elements of Skolt Sámi economy are reindeer herding and fisheries. On the Norwegian side the national minority Kven are fishing on the Njauddam. Since 2011 the Skolt Sámi and Snowchange have implemented the very first collaborative management of the whole river catchment area.  In summary the decade of co-management has included a full restoration plan for the damaged river parts, Sámi Land use and occupancy mapping, full ecological restoration of Kirakkakoski and Vainosjoki rivers, totaling over 6 kilometers of rivers, management reforms to Atlantic salmon, pike and trout fisheries and community-based monitoring of climate change using indigenous knowledge and science.

Specification Description Achievements Exchange
Project: Näätämö basin
Region: Finland's Lapland
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:
Uniqueness of the project: Indigenous led rewilding has very few peers.
Other activities: Community involved, Eco tourism, Education, High-impact communications, Recreational activities, Research, Sale of sustainable products
Results you aim to accomplish in 10 years from now on: All parts of the Näätämö river system have been restored and protected whilst realizing Indigenous rights.
Results so far: 2011 - With funds from Nordic Council and the UN, collaborative management founded.
2013 - Co-management plan released in April 2013 including the land use study and science.
2018 - Kirakkakoski river restored in full. OGF forests added to Landscape Rewilding Programme.
2021 - 5 kilometer Vainosjoki restored in full and plans for lake Sevettijärvi restoration included.
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
Experience you would like to gain: Advancing community-based and -controlled efforts to fight impacts of climate change, enhance biodiversity and protect waterways.
Map
Country
Finland
Start year
2011
Size (ha)
10 000+
Area type
Freshwater lakes, Marine: coastal, Mountainous, Northern coniferous forest, Tundra
Natural process
River dynamics
Flagship species
Bear, Elk, moose
Näätämö basin
A restored spawning area on the Näätämö River.
Snowchange Cooperative
The Näätämö (Finnish) or Neiden (Norwegian) is a river in Finland's Lapland, north of Lake Inari.
Since 2011 the Skolt Sámi and Snowchange have implemented the very first collaborative management of the whole river catchment area. 
The river is an important waterway for Atlantic salmon.
Magnus Lundgren / Wild Wonders of Europe

The Näätämö (Finnish) or Neiden (Norwegian) is a river in Finland’s Lapland, north of Lake Inari. It flows from Lake Iijärvi in Inari Municipality through Norway’s Sør-Varanger Municipality and empties into the Neidenfjorden, an arm off the main Varangerfjorden of the Barents Sea. Based on annual catch, the Neiden is Norway’s third most productive river for salmon fishing. Atlantic salmon, lake trout, sea trout, graylings and pike are all endemic species.

Näätämö basin or Njauddam (Northern Sami) is the ancient home of the Indigenous Skolt Sámi peoples. In 1944 the Suonikylä Skolt Sámi were re-located at the end of the WW2 to Njauddam. The central elements of Skolt Sámi economy are reindeer herding and fisheries. On the Norwegian side the national minority Kven are fishing on the Njauddam. Since 2011 the Skolt Sámi and Snowchange have implemented the very first collaborative management of the whole river catchment area.  In summary the decade of co-management has included a full restoration plan for the damaged river parts, Sámi Land use and occupancy mapping, full ecological restoration of Kirakkakoski and Vainosjoki rivers, totaling over 6 kilometers of rivers, management reforms to Atlantic salmon, pike and trout fisheries and community-based monitoring of climate change using indigenous knowledge and science.

Map
Country
Finland
Start year
2011
Size (ha)
10 000+
Area type
Freshwater lakes, Marine: coastal, Mountainous, Northern coniferous forest, Tundra
Natural process
River dynamics
Flagship species
Bear, Elk, moose
Specification
Project: Näätämö basin
Region: Finland's Lapland
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:
Uniqueness of the project: Indigenous led rewilding has very few peers.
Other activities: Community involved, Eco tourism, Education, High-impact communications, Recreational activities, Research, Sale of sustainable products
Achievements
Results you aim to accomplish in 10 years from now on: All parts of the Näätämö river system have been restored and protected whilst realizing Indigenous rights.
Results so far: 2011 - With funds from Nordic Council and the UN, collaborative management founded.
2013 - Co-management plan released in April 2013 including the land use study and science.
2018 - Kirakkakoski river restored in full. OGF forests added to Landscape Rewilding Programme.
2021 - 5 kilometer Vainosjoki restored in full and plans for lake Sevettijärvi restoration included.
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
Experience you would like to gain: Advancing community-based and -controlled efforts to fight impacts of climate change, enhance biodiversity and protect waterways.
Näätämö basin
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