The new approach means that Sattajärvi Sami village collects the reindeer two months earlier than in a normal year.
A difference is already noticeable.
- I checked numbers this morning.
Last year we had twelve traffic fatalities from the first of October until today, this year we have none, says Johanna Finnholm, reindeer owner in Sattajärvi Sami village.
Collaborates with mining companies
Sattajärvi Sami village has applied for and received approval for a project called "Sustainable, safe transport in reindeer husbandry areas".
Swedish mining innovation has approved the project and also pays half the cost: SEK 650,000.
The two-year project is being done together with Kauini's iron, LTU and LKAB.
To learn from the experiences gained through the project, Luleå University of Technology will lead the work of collecting, compiling and analyzing the results.
LKAB is an observer.
Johanna works part time in the project
From the first of October to April, the reindeer must be kept in pens and fed.
Even in ordinary years, the reindeer are kept in pens during the winter, but this year the period is extended by two months.
The Sami village is paid for the work and the extra feed costs and Johanna Finnholm has taken time off from her work at Pajala municipality and is paid part-time in the project.
In normal cases, the Sami village usually waits for the winter further because then the reindeer come by themselves - this year they are forcing the process of picking them up with reindeer transport.
See reindeer owner Johanna Finnholm's hard work with reindeer herding in the video above.
In the clip, you see the reindeer herder Johanna Finnholm in the workers.
Photo: Randi Gitz / SVT