Forest issues have been of particular interest to the Siemenpuu Foundation since it was founded. This theme has been chosen as the focus of the information-sharing work of the Foundation for 2008-2009 (most material produced only in Finnish).

Material available in English

In 2009 Siemenpuu comissioned a video installation from an artist called Milja Viita in order to increase the Finnish audience´s awareness on loss of forest biodiversity. find out more about the work and watch a shortened net version of the installation here>>

Publication:
WILD FORESTS, MAKING SENSE WITH PEOPLE, November 2008

This publication presents articles on the different meanings of forest in India from writers whose work and vision promote a sustainable indigenous forest life. With over 90 million indigenous tribal people, India has the world´s largest indigenous population, most of whom have, until recently, been living in a relatively sustainable way in the wild forests or closely connected to them.

The way indigenous forest dwellers of India see and experience life and its changes in the wilds where they live, deserves a place in a wider global dialogue. We need to better understand how different meanings of wild forest can help human life to minimally displace Earth´s own, indigenous growth of trees, plants and all life.

This publication discusses the forest mostly from the perspective of people who see it as their inalienable home. The reader is brought into the world of India´s indigenous tribal people, mostly called ´Adivasi´, ´people who live without a beginning´ in the areas they inhabit. The Adivasi have lived from time immemorial in harmony in wild forests, using them as a source of life. Local life of the Adivasi has thus been well adapted to sustain these areas. This homeland is however now  being taken away from their sustainable use - to be treated and governed as what is nowadays officially termed ´forests´.

Publication in pdf-format: Wild Forests (7 Mb)