Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Interdisciplinary Social-Science Field Stations in the Barents Region: Field Station 1 (NW Russia, Kola Peninsula, Kolm’yavr)  (IFS-Kolm’yavr)

Outline
We propose the creation of an interdisciplinary social-science field station in the Barents Region (Kola Peninsula, NW Russia). The project is conceived as the pilot-phase (2006-2009) of a long-term effort, aiming at the creation of two more mobile (“nomadic”) field stations in the Barents Region in the period from 2009 to 2012. The mission of the projected network is to create permanent observation bases for monitoring processes of socio-economic and climate change in the Russian part of the Barents Region, and how these changes impact on indigenous peoples’ livelihoods. In the pilot phase an Interdisciplinary Field Station (IFS) will be created as an extension of the existing Hydrometeorological Station “Kolm’yavr”, in the centre of the Kola Peninsula. In 2005 the initiators of this project (represented by the main applicant, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology) will jointly apply for financial support for the station’s creation and maintenance. During the project period social scientists from this and other institutes will pursue research projects, using IFS “Kolm’yavr” as a pivotal field research centre. Among these are other IPY project proposals (e.g. VERSO, MIDDLEMAN, HERD’S CALENDAR). Financial support for those projects will be sought separately. After the end of the project period in 2009, the station will be transferred into the property of the Field Research Group of the Kola North, a Russian NGO for social-science research registered in the Murmansk Region, with the condition that the station will be used for research activities only in coordination and agreeement with the scientific coordinator on behalf of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology (MPI).

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
(1) The foundation of a social-science field station shall be a pioneering approach in the study of the human dimension in the Russian Far North; (2) The station shall significantly increase the possibility of long-term monitoring of social/climate changes in an interdisciplinary way, and for the benefit of the local and international research and user community; (3) The station shall create possibilities for educational and research outreach through web-transmitted presentation of day-to-day research activities and results; (4) The station shall remain as a legacy of the IPY for the local and international research/user community.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Interdisciplinary Social-Sciences Field Station – Kolm’yavr NW Russia, Murmansk Region, Central Kola Peninsula, eastern bank of Lake Kolm’yavr (Kolmozero).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07-12/2006      01/ 2007–12/2008      01/-06/2009
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
New field station, snow terrain vehicles (snowmobiles)

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Field station, transport, communications, computer/ web-site equipment

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Logistic support for transportation of building materials, and the construction of the IFS shall be provided by the Municipality of Lovozero, the Reindeer Herding Cooperative “Tundra” of Lovozero, and the Field Research Group for the Kola North

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The proposal has been preliminarily submitted to the German IPY Committee on 20 December 2004.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
yes

The proposal is informed by experience from a decade of research (1994-2004) with the reindeer herding community of the Kola Peninsula. This is a new project in the sense of proposing a long-term base for social research activities, with a clear legacy priority for researchers and users.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Management/ organisation are responsibilities of the scientific co-ordinator of the project (Y. Konstantinov on behalf of MPI) together with a Managing Board, which comprises local representatives (Hydrometeorological Head Office in Murmansk, Municipality of Lovozero, Reindeer Herding Cooperative “Tundra”). Cases of disagreement between managers are solicited by an Advisory Board with scientific representatives from: Field Research Group for the Kola North; Kola Science Centre; Murmansk Pedagogical University; University of Lapland (Arctic Centre); University of Tromsö; University of Uppsala; University of Cambridge (Scott Polar Research Institute). Financial means will be administered by the MPI.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The IFS shall: (1) include in research activities students from Murmansk Pedagogical University and Professional School Nº 26 (Lovozero); (2) regularly relay progress of ongoing research via the World Wide Web; (3) involve the reindeer herders in research activities and present results to them by textual and video-documentary means.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data is to be shared with the researchers/users community by daily transmission through the web-site of the project, operated from IFS-Kolm’yavr. Data will be collected and

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The initiators shall seek financial support from the German Research Council (DFG) with the IPY Joint Committee and the German IPY Committee as official supporters.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Joachim Otto Habeck
Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology
PO Box 11 03 51
Halle (Saale)
D-06017
Germany

Tel: 0049 345 29 27 216
Mobile: 0049 179 918 4111
Fax: 0049 345 29 27 502
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation