Vasikkavuoma Hay-Mire in Pajala

This is the winner of a Medal.

The preservation of the largest (250 hectares) hay-mire in Northern Europe, located 80 km north of the Arctic Circle. Since 1999 it has been designated as a nature reserve and habitat for species typical of and dependent on mire haymaking.

The mire is also a cultural environment of national interest showing living documentation of its historical land use. The first mire harvests date back to the 18th century but by the mid-1990s Vasikkavuoma was virtually overgrown with brushwood. Since 1996 many parts have been restored to a workable tate and 82 log barns now bear witness to a past age. As a living project, the mire will continue to be cleared and provide tons of horsetail to be sold to local Saami as winter fodder for reindeer.

“For the important conservation of the largest surviving example of a rare hay-mire, together with its ecological setting, maintenance techniques and buildings”