Application for Metsähallitus’ shepherd weeks begins – applicants compete for a week in the middle of nature

Shepherd Weeks are paid for and the revenue collected is used to maintain the sites and their surrounding areas and for nature management.

The application for Metsähallitus’ popular shepherd weeks starts on Monday 20 January at midday and will last for a week.

There are heritage sites of old agriculture all over Finland.

In Lapland, for example, sheep herding sites include the Kaapin Jouni farm in Lemmenjoki National Park, the surroundings of the Pielpajärvi wilderness church in Inari and the Välimaa river donkey farm in the Kaldoaiv wilderness in Utsjoki. In the Perämeri National Park, the sites include the islands of Pensaskar and Selkä-Sarvi.

Shepherd’s weeks are paid for, and the income collected from them is used for the maintenance and nature care of the sites and their surrounding areas. At Pielpajärvi Wilderness Church, the weeks are free, but they include responsibilities for nature care and public guidance more than at other sites.

During Shepherd’s Week, you spend a week on vacation in a traditional environment where animals graze. Shepherd weeks have been so popular for a long time that the opportunity to shepherd is drawn among applicants.

In traditional environments, animals have grazed for a long time, which has made the nature of traditional environments exceptionally diverse. Grazing animals make sure that the areas are not overgrown.

Grazing animals eat plant species that do well in the competition, which increases the survival chances of rarer species.