Finnmark: Past Present and Furture is an Oxford University Expedition of 6 students travelling to Arctic Norway this summer. Our aim is to hike for 6 weeks across the Varanger peninsula to undertake fieldwork examining how the landscape is changing due to climate change.

After first visiting the Varanger Peninsula in 2016 the team members were shocked to see the poor health of the trees, damaged by influxes of moths. This inspired us to return to increase understanding about climate change and communicate the effects that are happening today. This is important as climate change is most rapid at high northern latitudes. In Arctic Norway the landscape is being altered, and being so remote, little is understood about the changes that are taking place. Local communities are dependent on the landscape, leading lives as fishermen or reindeer herders, making understanding the changes even more important. These traditional livelihoods are threatened by environmental change.

This £1000 is the final money required by the expedition to cover our expenses, allowing us to buy the necessary equipment. Increasing our understanding of the environmental changes will allow for improved land management and the development of mitigation strategies for local people, whose livelihoods are threatened by climate change.

More at: https://finnmarkexpedition.weebly.com