[IUFRO Div 6] Invitation: Contested Forests Talks – Ontological Conflict over Arctic Forests in Indigenous Sámi Territories

Dear IUFRO D6 colleagues, We are pleased to invite you to the upcoming session in the IUFRO Research Group 6.05.00 “Forest Conflict Management” – Contested Forests Talks series: Ontological Conflict over Arctic Forests in the Indigenous Sámi Territories 🗓 Date: 17 April 2026 ⏰ Time: 11.00 UTC (to convert the time within your time zone, please use the Time Converter at the event page) 📍 Online event (Zoom, please, register to get the link) 🌐 Event page & registration: https://www.iufro.org/events/iufro-rg-60500-contested-forests-talks-ontolog… In this talk, Doctoral Researcher Anna Ott will explore how different ways of knowing, relating to, and using Arctic forests come into tension in the Indigenous Sámi homeland (Sápmi). Anna Ott is currently finalizing her doctoral thesis at the University of Lapland, Finland. Her dissertation examines the transformative potential of land‑use politics and practices of the Indigenous Sámi people. More specifically, her research investigates how land use in Northern Finland is shaped by ontological conflict, and how Sámi political practices support transitions toward alternative ways of living in and with the land. In her presentation, she will focus on the ontological conflict over forests involving Sámi reindeer herders, the Finnish state, and private forest owners, and will discuss Rights of Nature as a potential approach to mitigating environmental conflicts in the Arctic Sámi territories. This event is part of a broader effort within RG 6.05.00 to create a global platform for discussing forest‑related conflicts, their cultural and political dimensions, and pathways toward more just and sustainable forest futures. Session lasts one hour and begins with a 20 minute guest presentation. After the talk, participants are encouraged to join an open discussion. We warmly welcome you to join, listen, and take part in the discussion! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. Kind regards, Tuulikki Halla & Rebecca Ford Coordinator & Deputy Coordinator, IUFRO RG 6.05.00 Forest Conflict Management _____________________________________ Tuulikki Halla Projektitutkija | Project Researcher Itä-Suomen yliopisto | University of Eastern Finland Luonnontieteiden, metsätieteiden ja tekniikan tdk | Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology Luonnontieteiden, metsätieteiden ja tekniikan tohtoriohjelma | Doctoral Programme in Science, Forestry and Technology UNITE Forest-Human-Machine Interplay | Suomen Akatemian Tieteen lippulaiva https://uniteflagship.fi Latest articles Experiencing forests as professionals: meanings and tensions in sustainability transitions https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2026.103731 Workshop: Stories of the Understory https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.11.e164067 +358 (0)40 7373 904 tuulikki.halla(at)uef.fi https://www.linkedin.com/in/tuulikkihalla _____________________________________