Suchergebnisse

The growth of environmental consciousness has set challenges to the development of remote rural areas dependent on the exploitation of forest and other natural resources. The ecological modernization perspective seems to be leading to a simple disregard for the problems of societal development in these areas. The northern forests are considered to be the 'lungs of Europe' and a storehouse of biodiversity. The perspective of sustainable development attaches greater attention to the incomes of the local residents and functionality of communities. The article stresses that social sustainability must be taken seriously in contemplating the use of natural resources in remote rural areas and in resolving environmental problems. The empirical subject of the article is the North Karelian Biosphere Reserve. There is an appraisal of ways of using natural resources on the reserve, which are both conducive to maintaining employment and ecologically friendly. Utilization of natural resources as well as the strengthening of conservation interests have been significant supra‐local actors. Thus, is it important that biosphere reserve operations attract actors from various regional levels.

AbstractThis article focuses on shifts in the use of natural resources by referencing a theoretical discussion of post‐productivism and neo‐productivism. Transitions from one form of nature use to another are not straightforward but entail various cycles and combinations. Neo‐productivism appears to be a versatile concept fit for describing the use of natural resources, which is becoming more complex and difficult to describe. Neo‐productivism describes a renewed form of productivism that emphasises environmental perspectives and sustainability in addition to the production of natural resources. It includes new characteristics in the material utilisation of nature, including pressures towards production increase. Our case studies present two Finnish natural resource peripheries: in the Forest Karelia, forests have been central to landscapes and incomes, whereas livelihoods in the archipelago have been dependent on sea and fish stocks.