Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

The herd’s calendar: annual profile of a reindeer herd on Kola Peninsula  (HERDS CALENDAR)

Outline
The primary objective of this project is to establish an innovative field methodology for a long-term observation of how social and climate change impact on the Human-Rangifer bond, as well as how the latter is adapting to such impact. A parallel and equally important objective is to draw the attention of the wider public to the continuous adaptative process of Rangifer-dependent arctic populations to dynamically changing social, economic, and climatic conditions. The particular regional focus chosen for the project is a reindeer herd on Kola Peninsula (Herd Number Eight of the Tundra Co-operative, Murmansk Region, NW Russian Federation). The innovation proposed in this project is to place an interdisciplinary team of researchers in steady contact with a migrating reindeer herd (i.e. the herd itself, not just the herders). From this vantage point the team will observe the interaction of the herd with humans (herders) in response to changing environmental conditions. By placing the reindeer at centre stage of the investigators’ gaze, the method avoids the limitations of conventional approaches. These stem from sporadic and at times entirely absent contact between herders and herd (resulting from regional post-collective farm developments). Conventional research on the Human-Rangifer bond is done with the Rangifer being conspicuously absent, while human infrastructural limitations narrow the observation to village-centres, or at best -- tundra camps. At the same time the herd interacts with humans not only along the vector of semi-domestic herding, but also along one of predation by both poachers and animal predator species. These are increasingly vital aspects of the overall ecology, to which the investigator’s gaze currently reaches only as a matter of rare and mostly chance encounters. To extend in this way the research on Human-Rangifer interaction, we propose to carry out a 12-months uninterrupted field observation of a migrating reindeer herd (February 2007-January 2008). By using tents and vehicles, the team of natural and social scientists establishes a nomadic observation unit. Data gathered on a day-to-day basis is proposed to be transmitted on a web-site of the project directly from the field. In this way the project will reach out to both a local and global audience, in the first instance practitioners and researchers. The video-documentary material obtained and transmitted shall offer itself for educational and research use and thereby increase the impact of IPY activities on a global scale.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
A nomadic observation unit with migrating Rangifer shall offer unique opportunities for both social and natural scientists investigating the Human-Rangifer relationship. At the same time, this shall be a pioneering approach in the study of the human dimension in the Russian Far North. The project shall pave the way for the comparative study of so-called “profile herds” and for long-term monitoring of social/climate changes related to the Human-Rangifer bond. The nomadic observation-unit approach shall create novel forms of educational outreach and scientific collaboration through web-transmitted presentation of day-to-day field research activities and results.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The main project partners represent research institutions in Bulgaria, Germany, Sweden and the Russian Federation. Collaboration also includes scientific and non-scientific organisations in the Russian Federation, Norway and other EU countries.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
NW Russia, Murmansk Region, Central Kola Peninsula. Migration route (long axis): NE banks of River Ponoi (Kuliok), Barents Sea Coast (Ostrovnoi).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 02/2007-02/2008 fieldwork on Kola Peninsula (for details, see extended proposal submitted to IPY German Committee)            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Snow-surface vehicles (3 items); land-vehicles (2 items); computing and communication facilities, tents

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Tents, means of transport, communication and computing facilities. These shall be left in the care of the Field Research Group for the Kola North (FRGKN) after the project has finished. (Pending the implementation of the IPY project proposal IFS Kolm’yavr, equipment will be transferred to the latter for subsequent research)

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own support
Other sources of support

Own support: (Pending the implementation of the IPY project proposal IFS Kolm’yavr, researchers of HERD’S CALENDAR will be able to rely on the IFS station for logistical support, additional energy supply, and other forms of support) Other sources of support: Logistic support for purchase and storage of vehicles and other equipment, and contact with the herd and herders shall be provided by the Municipality of Lovozero, the Reindeer Herding Cooperative “Tundra” of Lovozero, and the Field Research Group for the Kola North (FRGKN).

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This proposal has been submitted to the German IPY Committee on 13 January 2005.

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?
Exp

The project expands Rangifer-related research activities on Kola Peninsula pursued continously since 1994 by the Bulgarian Society for Regional Cultural Studies. It has lastly been (2001-2004) integral part of the EU project RENMAN. Follow-up research will now be pursued under the aegis of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Management/ organization are the responsibility the Coordinator (Dr Joachim Otto Habeck, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology) and the Principal Investigator (Prof. Yulian Konstantinov) together with an Advisory Board, which will comprise representatives of scientific organisations in the Russian Federation, Norway, and EU countries. Upon consultation with the Advisory Board, the Coordinator and Principal Investigator will decide about researchers’ participation in field research. Participating researchers will be expected to provide financial support for their fieldwork activities. The managers’ long-term research experience in the region will help facilitate successful interdisciplinary fieldwork management.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Outreach strategies comprise: involvement of students from Murmansk Pedagogical University (part-time); thematic input for educational networks (NECEN etc.); regular updates about ongoing fieldwork on the project’s website; involvement of reindeer herders in the research process. (Additionally, HERD’S CALENDAR outreach activities will enhance outreach of the proposed IFS Kolm’yavr.)

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 project’s web-site. Data will be collected and stored by the Hydrometereological Head Office in Murmansk, the Kola Science Centre in Apatity, the MPI, and the University of Lapland (Arctic Centre).

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Potential supporters will be identified in early 2005.

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