Getting to know the Fell botany
From our old sauna cabin, I found a little booklet, which was called to the Tunturikasvisto = Fell botany, which was left by a previous resident. I had just returned from Äkäslompolo when I found it and I started eagerly studying it. As I looked back the beautiful nature of Äkäslompolo, I decided to become more familiar about the Fell botany.
Tunturikasvisto - booklet is made by Norwegians (Olav Gjaerevoll and Reidar Jorgensen) in 1952 and translated into Finnish in 1955 by Tahvo Kontuniemi. The back cover introduces the text: "For the first time ever, a complete, multicolored Fell botany has appeared in Finland, a practical pocket-sized delight and guide for those who increasingly seek out hiking and travels to Lapland every summer". The pictures are multicolored drawings by Norwegian artist Dagny Tande Leed.
Though the booklet is over 60 years old, it would be interesting if I could find same plants from the booklet or has climate change impacted already? Inspired by the booklet, I looked my earlier taken pictures from Äkäslompolo more closely. I tried to find same plants from the pictures. But I have took pictures from landscapes mainly, not from plants. Therefore, this will be more projects for coming summer.
On upcoming travels to Äkäslompolo, I will be there with booklet's advices, seeking experiences and learning new things. I do not have any botanical studies, only some feeble memories from the geography lessons in the elementary and high school. So, something corrections might found later.
The investigation of the Fell botany begins:
Rhizocarpaceae, the most common lichen type, grows on rocks and trees and is very firmly attached to them. The picture was taken at Fell Ylläs. This is not mentioned in the booklet.
Cloudberry is common in northern Finland. Picture taken in a swamp on the Ylläsjärvi side. Cloudberry is mentioned in the booklet.
The dwarf birch is the northernmost birch and it about one meter high. The dwarf birch is distinguished by its roundness from the Fell birch's leaves. The picture is taken in the swamp on the Lake Ylläsjärvi side, in the same picture with the cloudberry. The dwarf birch is not mentioned in the booklet.
The fell birch is a shrub-like tree and these grows most in Lapland. The picture was taken from Lake Tunturijärvi. The fell birch is not mentioned in the booklet.
This is just the beginning the journey of the fell botany and the investigation will continue later.
I mentioned earlier the possible effects of climate change on the Fell botany. In March year 2019 the Red List of Endangered Species was published. According to the book, one third of Finland's animal and plant species are already threatened. Most of the Fell Lapland species are already threatened, with up to 40% of the Fell botany are threatened to disappear because of the climate warming. As the snow melts earlier, the soil becomes drier and causes changes in botany. Butterflies and birds are threatened, too. All these changes have an effect. If you are more interested about this, here is the link to the Red Book web site: https://punainenkirja.laji.fi (you can read in English too).