Chief Edwin Ogar from the Ekuri Forest in Nigeria passed away earlier in the year. Snowchange has produced together with the Chief’s daughter, Nlohojie Ogar, a major documentary session available to all. It was filmed during the week before Chief’s passing. All in all this 2,5 hour documentary summarizes the cultural and environmental work of one of the most celebrated champions for the environment out of Africa.

What is the film about? This is the documentary of Chief Edwin Ogar’s life, his struggles, experiences, sacrifices, work and accomplishments.

Who was Edwin and why does this matters?

Nlohojie Ogar, producer of the new film, comments:

“Chief Edwin Ogar was a distinguished leader from the Ekuri Community in Cross River State, Nigeria, renowned for his dedication to environmental conservation and community development. Chief Edwin Ogar played a pivotal role in preserving the Ekuri community forest, a 33,600 hectare expanse of biodiverse rainforest. He was instrumental in resisting threats to the Ekuri forest, notably opposing the construction of a six-lane superhighway proposed in 2015 by the then State government that would have traversed the community’s land. His advocacy efforts led to the rerouting of the highway, safeguarding the forest and the livelihoods of the Ekuri People. Beyond his community, Chief Edwin contributed to global discussions on indigenous-led conservation, emphasizing the importance of integrating traditional knowledge with scientific approaches to address biodiversity crises. Chief Edwin earned international recognition, including the UNDP Equator Prize in 2004.“

Snowchange staff first met with Edwin in early 2010s and the common goal of preserving and supporting the Ekuri Forest emerged. Later we started, after defeating the Super Highway in an alliance of a large number of NGOs, to support the rewilding and restoration plans for Ekuri forest. Despite the large cultural and ecological distance between the boreal forests where Snowchange operates and the Ekuri Forest we found common unity on the importance of communities in the forest and making sure these cultural landscapes are preserved.

In 2020s Snowchange worked with Edwin to get the Ekuri registered as an Indigenous and Community-Conserved Area under the WDPA / UNEP registry. Tero Mustonen, Chair of Snowchange, comments:

“Many people asked about this film during production. The process was rather unexpected. We had been phoning in the Autumn 2024 with Edwin, but then there was the winter break and all. Suddenly in January 2025 out of nowhere I got an idea of documenting, should he so choose, the oral histories and life work of Edwin given his amazing lifework. He was very keen and in rather good health. As we wrapped up the sessions he passed unexpectedly away the next day. Wow. Well, here you go Edwin – voices from the forest, as you saw them! I thank personally the filming crew and especially Nlohojie and the whole family for all the months of work of getting this done.”

The new film is available here.

At the outset of deep summer Snowchange fisheries come to a close. In restoration inventories of new 100 hectare OGF forest-peatland complex in Siikajoki, Ilvesmaa and Leväkangas proceed. A new marine scientist Annukka Pekkarinen, also an accomplished marine sailor, joins the science team.

Captain Karoliina has led great efforts harvesting fish on lake Onkamo. Now we have a clearer view of the structural and composite roles of the species and their abundance in this Snowchange restoration landscape. A controlled break will commence now until August when the fisheries will resume. Brand new Snowchange canned fish products have begun to move in Helsinki, Germany and Belgium as pilot market areas. Thank you to the fisheries team for a great start to the summer!

In restoration and rewilding news, the early summer has been very busy as we settle into mid-season. In Koitajoki the Niittysuo and Tervasuo peatlands are almost complete and the work will proceed to Kivisuo, a 100 hectare state-owned critically important peatland in northeastern part of the catchment. GHG measurements are under way in Valkeasuo peatland complex. Likewise large effort of inventories to document status, trends and abundance of wildlife is under way in all of the 2025 sites. One of the highlights of the year so far is the Siikajoki natural forests and peatlands complex – Ilvesmaa and Leväkangas. They are located in northwestern Finland and constitute some of the only natural intact landscape-level sites in the region. Restoration is under way in Makkaralatva-aapa, an Arctic Circle peatland and we will work with the Luiminkajoki river association to commence the Petäjäsuo peatland restoration in July. Work proceeds through the season.

Lastly new staff additions strengthen the marine team. Annukka Pekkarinen has joined Snowchange after some part time works in the past. Annukka is a Finnish science project coordinator with education in Maritime environmental research, Marine biology and coastal and marine management. She is also a wilderness guide and a professional seafarer, with a decade of experience in the Arctic, mainly Iceland and Greenland and Antarctica.

She has been working since 2011 in various international coastal and marine management projects in the Baltic, North Sea, the Arctic and the Indian Ocean, on themes varying from eutrophication, Marine Spatial Planning to invasive species, hazardous cargoes and effects of shipping and noise to marine mammals. Lately she has been working with interaction, communication and coordination of freshwater and coastal research projects focusing on mapping & measurement technology in the boreal region.

With these exciting news we welcome the deep summer and will see you in August! When relevant updates appear we ll report here – check back!

Two important Snowchange-related reports and science released today – the Sámi Truth and Reconciliation Report on Waters and Haida Research Framework for learning X̱aad Kíl.

Today in Inari Snowchange is involved in the release of the Sámi Truth and Reconciliation Report on Waters. In summary this Sámi Truth and Reconciliation Commission article reviews the status and trends of lake Inari and rivers Paatsjoki and Näätämö as central Sámi biocultural water ecosystems. It mainly focuses on the past 15 years (2009–2025) given the drivers of change in climate, water quality, land use, Sámi rights, water regulation and invasive species. Article summarizes a suite of scientific articles and Indigenous Sámi knowledge and experiences of the three basins. Näätämö River is the most natural out of the three and lake Inari and Paatsjoki have been regulated since 1940s.

Contemporary challenges include for example expanding tourism, natural resources extraction and the geopolitical situation of the 2020s. Invasive and introduced species include for example pink salmon, vendace, lake trout and mink. Despite the range of impacts to these waters we need to appreciate them also as examples of outstanding basins in European context. Therefore responses and corrective measures are proposed – these include for example seeking a UNESCO World Heritage status for these waters – working title ”Unique Freshwaters of Sápmi”, establishment of a new umbrella organization Sámi Water Forum, restoration of catchments and river flows where applicable, enhanced waste and plastics residue collection, further monitoring of microplastics, removal of smaller hydrodams and creation of free passage for migratory and salmonid species.

Several initiatives to support Sámi language, culture and rights associated with waters are proposed. Lastly the article underscores the role of natural springs, often overlooked but culturally important waters that should be fully protected from all industrial land use. The report is available here (in Finnish).

In Vancouver, Haida Research Framework for learning X̱aad Kí, i.e. the Ph D of Haida leader Jasḵwaan A. Bedard has been released. She is one of the co-founders of Snowchange and summarizes: “X̱aad Kíhlga tl’a gúusuugiigangsaang research project aims to support and enhance Haida community experiences learning, teaching, and speaking Xaad Kil (Massett dialect of the Haida language) by finding creative and caring solutions to unique challenges conducting Haida language learning programs. While the direct translation for X̱aad Kíhlga tl’a gúusuugiigangsaang means “The Haida Language will be spoken for all time” and serves as a foundational philosophy for this project, I’ve used “A Haida Research Framework for Learning X̱aad Kíl” to describe the project outcome.

This research requires prioritizing Haida worldview, laws, and protocols while structuring Haida language learning and teaching to meet the needs of learners and community. In designing and adopting a Haida specific approach to Indigenous research methodology, the Haida laws of yahgudang respect, tla yahdah to make things right, ahl kyáanaang tláagang to ask first and gin ‘wáadluwaan gud ahl kwáagiidang everything is connected to everything else frame this project. These Haida laws shape and guide the pathway to X̱aad Kíl learning that responds to the specific community needs of Gaw Tlagée Old Massett, Haida Gwaii. Using a collaborative and qualitative approach to research and research analysis, X̱aad Kíhlga tl’a gúusuugiigangsaang includes autobiographical analysis, community interviews of X̱aad Kíl students, teachers, Knowledge Holders, and Birth Speakers, as well as the voices of íitl’ kuniisii our Ancestors, who left their knowledge within various research mediums conducted about the Haida language and worldview over the years. “A Haida Research Framework for Learning X̱aad Kíl” creates a pathway for X̱aad Kíl learning and can be helpful to other Indigenous language communities that have unique and specialized language situations.”

The research is available here.

Early summer newsletter reports efforts in fisheries, rewilding, Arctic Circle peatlands and – yes – traditional knowledge of Eurasian squirrel. The season is here!

Fisheries in the rewilding landscape of Onkamo lakes in North Karelia are under way. Captain Karoliina is leading efforts to determine the status and trends of the fish, eutrophication levels and structure of the bay areas. Healthy catches of pike, pikeperch, bream and many other species are coming into the fish traps and produced at the HQ to fish products. We expect the yields to increase towards midsummer as the waters warm up.

Similarly, we are working with LUKE at the lower Koitajoki to investigate the situation of the land-locked Atlantic Salmon and migratory smolts. As a part of the ELSP efforts on Koitajoki the monitoring trap is gently trapping those salmon who leave on their migration, and following a review of their size and numbers, they are released downstream as an important action to determine how the stocks are doing. So far in the first 3 weeks numbers of smolts have been low around 15 fish. The trap monitoring will last until mid-summer.

In rewilding news exciting things are moving ahead. We are already restoring in the range of 80 hectares of peatlands and Valkeajoki stream in Koitajoki. Also Pahkasuo peatland has been restored by River Guardians and Snowchange staff this week. Koitajoki restoration will continue throug the season. At the Arctic Circle we expect a busy rewilding season with Ranua peatlands under way. As one of the major sites Miehinkäaapa peatland from Salla, over 140 hectares and with adjacent sites at 200 hectares, joined the programme in winter. It is an example of an outstanding Arctic Circle region peatlands associated with the Climate Breakthrough. Another highlight was the Palojärvi old growth forest and river in Selkie, North Karelia, that joined the programme in late May.

In the science news a new paper out in Ecology and Evolution reviews the traditional knowledge, science and status of Eurasian Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). It has played an important role in Finnish traditional culture and livelihoods since pre-historic times. This paper analyzes the current role, status, and trends of the red squirrel using both available scientific evidence and testimonies from oral historians who were immersed in Finland’s boreal hunting societies during the mid-1900s.

The convergence of observations points to the decline of this iconic mammal of northern forests and increased migration to urban habitats. Red squirrels are not currently seen as being of great relevance to conservation efforts, despite their central role in spreading seeds and in boreal predator–prey food chains. If the animal is lost from Finland’s remaining boreal timber forests, their absence may have consequences that are not yet understood. This article contains previously unavailable cultural knowledge of the Eurasian red squirrel, directly curated by knowledge holders. It presents an important nexus of different ways of knowing.

We look forwards to a busy rewilding and fishing summer! Check back in June for summer updates.

Cold May begins the summer season. Restoration activities are under way in Koitajoki, Arctic Circle peatlands and Western Finland. New Peatland Atlas supports Eastern European restoration efforts. Fisheries commence in Onkamo lakes this week.

Weather is keeping cold but birds are returning to the restoration sites in the boreal. Large peatlands are being restored as a part of the Koitajoki ELSP activities and first one, Niittysuo is soon to be completed.

Related to the Arctic Circle peatlands new sites and landscapes have joined in the spring. Kukasjänkä in Sodankylä is an important small peatland habitat close to lake Unari. New atlas is supporting Eastern European restoration efforts. As well as new article summarizes some of the relevance of the rewilding programme, out now.

In lake Onkamo area the fish traps and gill netting will commence in the open water fisheries this week. Captain Karoliina will lead efforts to enable the first fishery of the season in open water.