Metsähallitus to put 15 Inari holiday plots on market

Metsähallitus plans to sell or lease 15 holiday-home plots on the shore of Konesjärvi in Inari, despite opposition from the Muddusjärvi reindeer herding cooperative, Yle reports. The cooperative says Metsähallitus has failed to meet its statutory duty to negotiate.

The planned plots are on the lake’s southern shore, where there are currently no buildings. Metsähallitus plans to renovate the Rovajärvi road leading to the area and connect the plots to electricity in 2027. Sales could begin no earlier than autumn 2027.

Local reindeer herder Anne Karhu-Angeli, who lives on Konesjärvi’s northern shore, opposes the plans. She says the area is needed not only as a home but also for reindeer herding.

A reindeer separation fence stands at the end of the road leading to the plots. Reindeer herders use it in spring to separate the animals. Karhu-Angeli says guiding reindeer to the fence would become difficult if buildings were constructed along the route.

“Six families work together in the cooperative. Everyone has their own area, but we separate the reindeer together. It is terrible to think that we could lose this area. We must not lose it,” Karhu-Angeli said.

Cooperative disputes Metsähallitus’ actions

The Muddusjärvi cooperative opposed the plot zoning during negotiations with the municipality of Inari as early as 2010, according to cooperative head Osmo Seurujärvi. The general plan for the area around Lake Inari did not become legally valid until 2020. Seurujärvi said the appeal period coincided with the busiest time of year for reindeer herders.

Sixteen plots at Konesjärvi were subdivided in 2024, and one has already been transferred to a private individual. Metsähallitus negotiated with the cooperative about the remaining 15 plots. According to Seurujärvi, the minutes recorded that a new negotiation would be held if Metsähallitus began preparing the plots for sale.

“According to the latest letter, the negotiations had already been held, and Metsähallitus does not intend to negotiate the matter any further. Even though we had agreed in writing that if they intended to sell or lease the land, they would have to negotiate again. I wonder how Metsähallitus can act this way,” Seurujärvi said.

Kari Männistö, sales manager for Metsähallitus’ property development operations, acknowledged that the follow-up negotiation was the cooperative’s request and had been recorded in the minutes. He denied, however, that Metsähallitus had failed to meet its duty to negotiate.

Männistö said the municipality’s general plan allows construction without a detailed local plan. He said the municipality, rather than Metsähallitus, was responsible for consulting the cooperative during the zoning process.

“When plots are ready for sale, we have no obligation to hold the negotiation referred to in Section 53 of the Reindeer Husbandry Act,” Männistö said.

Reetta-Mari Tammela, technical director of the municipality of Inari, said that once the municipal council approves a plan, only neighbours need to be consulted during construction.

“If the administrative court and the Supreme Administrative Court also find that sufficient investigations, negotiations and requests for statements have been carried out, then the building right at the site has been approved,” Tammela said.

At a negotiation between Metsähallitus and Sámi reindeer herding cooperatives in summer 2026, Männistö told Seurujärvi that the plots were “on hold”. Metsähallitus nevertheless announced in July that the plots would be put up for sale or lease.

Männistö said he had first wanted to review the matter at the meeting to determine whether anything new could prevent the sale. He said nothing had emerged and that he had also discussed the matter with his supervisor after the meeting.

Reindeer have nowhere else to go

Seurujärvi fears that holiday homes would bring disturbances that would make reindeer herding more difficult. He said residents would spend time outdoors, travelling by snowmobile, skiing and walking, and that dogs would also be present at the holiday homes.

Seurujärvi said the reindeer could not move elsewhere because a neighbouring cooperative is nearby and other directions are also restricted. The area’s grazing lands have already been reduced by earlier logging carried out by Metsähallitus.

The reindeer separation fence at the end of the Rovajärvi road has been in place for about 60 years and is important to the cooperative. The cooperative pays rent to Metsähallitus for the fence.