Ecological Pilgrimage: Repairing Human-Forest Relations

The paper joins the search for new ontologies, conceptual frameworks, approaches, metaphors, and practices to repair the weakened relations between ecosystems and human sociocultural worlds. It introduces the notion of an “ecological pilgrimage” as a walking methodology and social innovation that departs from historical connotations of colonial expeditions or religious ceremonies and enables rethinking what walking, and tourism can do in times of ecological crisis. Our work draws guidance from the discussions on “ecological reparation” as a bottom-up approach attentive to the mundane processes and everyday practices of solidarity and care that maintain life and foster liveable futures.

Driven by a curiosity of what an ecological pilgrimage could be and become, the
members of our team embarked on a pilot walk along the 1000 km long "UKK trail” through the boreal forests of Eastern and Northern Finland. Along with reflection on the future lines of inquiry, the paper shares a formative iteration of a video artwork of this almost forgotten, fragmented trail that reflects the imprint of historic and contemporary land use practices and industrial exploitation. The paper welcomes further discussion about the ways in which the recreational use of hiking trails can enable transforming and repairing more-than-human relations.