ArcticHubs – Sustainable results, Lasting Friendships
Just as we were feeling the full benefits of being a close and constructive family, the four years of ArcticHubs project is closing out its busy calendar of research activities and events. To mark one of the important focal points from the concluding work package, local residents, authorities and research teams converged together to attend the Inari future forum and final meeting session
Far North future scenarios
Generously hosted by the municipal authorities in Ivalo (high up in the Arctic north-east corner of Finland), over the long summer days ArcticHubs seized the opportunity to hear from and share perspectives with a diverse set of stakeholders. The topic of debate focused on what the future decade may bring to the region and its competing land and sea uses. Opinions by now have been further informed by extensive surveying, analysis and cross referencing built up through the introduction of the suite of participatory tools facilitated by ArcticHubs research teams – including public participation GIS, Delphi method surveys and now collective future scenario building.
Building a new regional outlook
Recognising the benefits of regional infrastructure and geography, the event also provided a convenient opportunity to devise a cross-border perspective. The views and experiences from colleagues who were able to travel down from the Varangerfjord hub just over the border in Norway, built upon a reciprocal exercise that had taken place the previous summer in Kirkenes and Bugøynes. A consideration of what hub locations share in common as well as what elements are more unique for an individual hub, is something that the project has grappled with across all of its activities. The joint sessions allowed us to explore deeper into where Varanger-Inari cross-over points exist, and where closer collaboration may bring mutual benefits.
As always with ArcticHubs and indeed a feature of the ‘Touch TD way’ more generally, we integrated time to step out into the research field to share, observe and meet communities who have collaborated closely along the way. Although we had to part our ways at the end of this cycle of the project, an important aspect of our programme has been to sustain and embed the findings, the tools and methods that have been utilised in our solution led activities.
One journey ends, another begins
Touch TD has been at the forefront coordinating this ‘exploitation of results’ phase. Excitingly there are several pathways already emerging, where we reach out to sustain and bring new opportunities building upon the initial achievements completed during ArcticHubs. Keep your eyes on this news section for details on those future Arctic land and sea use project developments ❄️
