A very high-resolution false color Ikonos-2 satellite image of Jauristunturit in the border zone shared by Norway and Finland. Image acquired 28 June 2001. The main vegetation type is lichen dominated tundra heath with dwarf shrubs. The difference in whiteness is due to lichen coverage, and the national border with reindeer fence visibly divides the area. The northern portion is Norway, where fruticose lichen coverage is higher. This is a consequence of different pasture management. The Norwegian side is used only in late winter when there is snow cover and no grazing or trampling occurs in summer. The Finnish area is used in early summer, when vulnerable lichen mats have been progressively trampled over several decades.
Internasjonalt fag- og formidlingssenter for reindrift og Nettverk for Reindriftskvinner i Kautokeino har i 2007 opprettet et samarbeidsprosjekt “Birgen- tradisjonell kunnskap og opplæring i reindrift”. Det samiske ordet “birgen” betyr å klare seg eller berge seg 1. Denne rapporten er et sammendrag av Birgen-prosjektets aktivitet og oppgaver fra 1.september 2009 til 30.april 2010 og er en fortsettelse av rapport 3.2009 av International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry. 
A major Arctic related conference is being held this week in Salekhard, in the Yamal Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YNAO). The conference is entitled 'Innovations as a Factor of the Arctic Sustainable Development'. The Chair of the Association of World Reindeer Herders, Mikhail Pogodaev and President of the WRH Council Odd Erling Smuk are among the attendees. The conference runs from Wednesday to Saturday.
