NOMAD
A social-scientific mobile research station for the study of human-reindeer interaction
The NOMAD Expedition (March 2007-February 2008) followed the annual migration of a reindeer herd in the central part of the Kola Peninsula (in the northwestern part of the Russian Federation). The main task was to observe how the synergy of socio-economic plus climate change affects interaction between humans and reindeer, as exemplified by the local extensive form of post-sovkhoz reindeer husbandry. Results have shown a transition from intensive care for the animals (tending the deer for the maximum possible amount of time, protecting calves from predators’ attacks) to extensive ranching, with accompanying heavy reliance on fence-building, heavy track vehicles, and high speed snow-scooters for the one or two round-ups per year. Findings, arrived at in close cooperation with members of the families that have reindeer, suggest that this extensive form of ranching has set in as a stable tendency. In this context, introduction of ecologically-friendly and family-oriented modern technology is seen as highly necessary for the formulation of a long-term strategy.
