Näätämö basin
Ancient home of the indigenous Sámi
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.
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.
1. Traditional and Indigenous knowledge 2. Basin rewilding 3. Peatland restoration without carbon credits
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.
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.