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On 15 October 2026, descriptions of key nature and excursion destinations in the Skolt Sámi language area were published on the Skolt Sámi pages of Luontoon service. The goal is to provide more comprehensive information on hiking destinations and nature in the Skolt Sámi homeland in the Skolt Sámi language. Luontoon service is constantly being developed, and the content in Skolt Sámi will also be complemented and expanded gradually.
Initially, the descriptions of destinations cover Inari Hiking Area and the wilderness reserves of Vätsäri and Tsarmitunturi. Content on Kaldoaivi wilderness reserve will be published later.
In addition to the destination pages, the service will also offer articles and information content in Skolt Sámi, including on the following topics: Suomujoki Skolt homesteads, Luttojoki Skolt homesteads, Sacred sites of the Sámi, Hiking in the reindeer husbandry area, Pielpajärvi Church, Outdoor etiquette for visitors to the Sámi Homeland, and Everyone’s rights.
"Luontoon website already had content in Northern Sámi and Inari Sámi. The recently completed Skolt Sámi pages will mainly serve the Skolt Sámi language community and Skolt Sámi speakers,” says Liisa Neuvonen, Team Manager at Parks & Wildlife Finland.
The Skolt Sámi website also offers an opportunity to use this language in online services and strengthens its visibility in daily life. The website will additionally be useful for schools, pupils, students and teachers.
The Northern Sámi website currently has a total of eighteen descriptions of destinations, which include national parks, nature reserves and wilderness reserves. In Inari Sámi, seven destination descriptions can be found in the service.
The Sámi languages have an official status in the Sámi Homeland (Enontekiö, Inari, Utsjoki, part of Sodankylä). Skolt Sámi is one of the Sámi languages spoken in Finland, in addition to Northern and Inari Sámi.
Skolt Sámi is a highly endangered language whose use and revival have been hampered by a long history during which the linguistic rights of the Skolt Sámi were not fully respected. While the current legislation safeguards the status of the Sámi languages, the possibilities of using Skolt Sámi and services provided in it remain scarce, and this language needs special support.
The publication of the Skolt Sámi pages in Luontoon service also provides more possibilities to use the language in digital services, enhances the visibility and accessibility of the language, and supports the preservation of Skolt Sámi culture and traditional knowledge. It also promotes the realisation of linguistic rights by providing information on nature, cultural heritage and hiking in Skolt Sámi.
Eräluvat.fi has been published in Northern Sámi, Skolt Sámi and Inari Sámi. This service contains key information on permits for state-owned areas and special rights in the Sámi area. A few permits can be purchased in the Sámi languages, such as a free fishing permit for a municipality resident, an off-road permit or fishing permits for river areas issued to residents subject to a fee.
For example, permits for Näätämö cadastral village and the Skolt area continue to be sold through Eräluvat customer service.
Metsa.fi online service contains a couple of hundred pages in the Sámi language; the number of pages in Finnish is about 550, and there is content in Northern Sámi on almost all topics, albeit the Northern Sámi language version is briefer than the Finnish one. The content focuses on general information about Metsähallitus’ work and organisation, issues relevant to Northern Lapland and current affairs.
Metsa.fi additionally contains news bulletins about suitable topics. So far this year, around 30 bulletins have been translated into Northern Sámi, and many of them concern issues of Northern Lapland.
The current Metsa.fi website was published in 2020, and the Sámi-language pages were created at the same time. While the previous Metsa.fi website also had a Northern Sámi version, it was less extensive than at present.
In 2010, the Sámi Language Council of the Sámi Parliament presented Metsähallitus with the first Sámi Language Act award. The justifications for the award commended Metsähallitus' work on promoting Sámi-language services and the status of the Sámi language in Finland as well as fulfilling the obligations laid down in the Sámi Language Act in its online communication and customer service.
