The Finnish Reindeer Herders Association and EUROPARC co-organise the next EU Platform Regional Workshop, held back-to-back with the LUKE Reindeer & Fish Days Conference in Rovaniemi on 6–7 May.
The workshop’s overarching theme is eco-tourism and the challenges and opportunities for coexistence with large carnivores. Local communities can benefit economically from the presence of large carnivores through eco-tourism. However, if not carried out sensitively, certain practices can lead to habituation to human presence or increased damages to livestock.
This workshop explores these dynamics in the specific context of reindeer herding communities in northern Finland, where many large carnivore viewing sites rely on artificial feeding to attract animals. Such practices can impact animal behaviour, lead to food conditioning, and contribute to greater damages to reindeer herds.
Alongside examining these local challenges, the workshop draws on experiences of wildlife-sensitive eco-tourism from other European regions to develop concrete recommendations for good practice.
The EU Large Carnivore’s Platform regional workshop features sessions on the livelihoods of reindeer herders and large carnivores in Lapland, examples of best practice in eco-tourism related to large carnivores, and a visit to a viewing site for large carnivores. There will also be discussions with local businesses, herders and other stakeholders in the afternoon.
More detailed information can be found in this background document.
