Dear colleagues,

Thanks to SAFIRE and ANTS support, I am designing a new study course and seminar series titled “Nature and Wars”. Detailed information about the seminars, including speakers and presentation titles, will be shared after the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays. The seminar series will be open to anyone interested.

For now, I would be very grateful if you could share the course advertisement with students in the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Humanities, and the Faculty of Education and Psychology. Students from all degree levels (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral) are welcome. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NA00BC49 Nature and Wars; March–May 2026, 2 ECTS

Dear all,

Armed conflicts continue around the world, and modern wars are changing rapidly with the development of new technologies. The ongoing Russian–Ukrainian war, carrying the potential risk of spreading into EU and NATO countries, is a striking example of contemporary warfare. Yet even in Oulu, traces of the Second World War can still be observed today.

What happens to nature during military operations? What are the long-term ecological consequences of wars? How do we define ecocide? How does nature recover after conflict?

These and many other questions will be explored throughout this course, which consists of six thematic seminars and a field excursion. Join this new learning opportunity to gain insight from researchers working under challenging and sometimes dangerous conditions, often close to active conflict zones. Though my hope is that you will apply this knowledge only theoretically in the future.

Eligibility and registration: The course is open to students at all study levels (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral) from the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Humanities, and the Faculty of Education and Psychology. Basic knowledge of ecology, environmental science, or sustainability studies is recommended. To enroll, each student must submit a short motivation letter (max. 250 words) explaining their interest in the topic and its relevance to their studies or research to mykyta.peregrym@oulu.fi

Registration is open until 17.12.2025 via Tuudo or Peppi (search: NA00BC49).

Timetable: March 23, 2026 (Mon) — 13:15–14:00, L7: Course introduction March 30, 2026 (Mon) — 11:00–15:00, Tellus Stage (hybrid): Seminar 1: Understanding the impact of war on people–nature relationships April 10, 2026 (Fri) — 12:15–14:00, online (Zoom): Seminar 2: The impact of military actions on flora, fauna, and funga April 17, 2026 (Fri) — 12:15–14:00, online (Zoom): Seminar 3: Protected areas during wartime April 24, 2026 (Fri) — 14:15–16:00, AT115a (hybrid): Seminar 4: Pollution as a consequence of war May 4, 2026 (Mon) — 12:15–14:00, online (Zoom): Seminar 5: Research and education in wartime conditions May 11, 2026 (Mon) — 10:15–12:00, online (Zoom): Seminar 6: Long-term consequences of past wars May 21, 2026 (Thu) — 9:15–12:00: Walking excursion in Oulu to explore visible traces of WWII May 27, 2026 (Wed) — 12:15–14:00, MA335: Discussion and finalization session

If you have any questions, please contact mykyta.peregrym@oulu.fi

Looking forward to seeing many of you in March 2026!

Best wishes, Mykyta

Mykyta Peregrym | Grant Researcher Ecology and Genetics Research Unit | University of Oulu P.O. Box 8000, 90014 Oulu, Finland +380505445944 (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber)

Senior Lecturer | Department of Landscape Gardening and Ecology Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University Myrhorod, Poltava region, Ukraine

ORCIDhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5989-4406 | SCOPUShttps://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55484657400 | WoShttps://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/2054792

In social networks: Linkedinhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mykyta-peregrym-7a483937/ |ResearchGatehttps://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mykyta-Peregrym | iNaturalisthttps://www.inaturalist.org/people/mykytaperegrym