Spatial GIS-analysis of the long-term dynamics in the environmental changes in reindeer pastures, Lapland, northern Finland

Research Proposal for the Research Stay at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland under the CIMO Scholarship. Reindeer are unique part of the northern environmental in Lapland. For the comfortable existing they need large areas of herding pastures for grazing. The anthropogenic activities may influence the ecosystems where pastures are based in a negative way: mining, logging, oil and gas exploration, hydro power development as well as other human activities encroaching to the traditional habitats of reindeers and threatening the herding areas. Finally, climate changes influence natural environment and biodiversity of the northern ecosystems. All these factors lead to negative changes in the structure of landscapes, patterns defragmentation, decrease of biodiversity, and worsening of life conditions for the reindeer existence. The dynamics of these changes must be evaluated for the monitoring and sustainable development of the unique Lappish landscapes in the northern Finland. The proposed research focuses on the spatial GIS analysis and raster-based mapping of the changes in landscapes and land cover in the areas of reindeer herding pastures in High Arctic (Finnish Lapland).