Tourism employs 4,000 people. The number of reindeer ranges from about 200,000 in winter to 350,000 in summer before slaughtering. The use by reindeer of natural lichen grounds as winter feeding sites and of fell tops as refuge from parasitic insects in summer has impacted positively on the composition of species but negatively on vegetation and soil erosion. The Finnish Forest Research Institute's research station in Rovaniemi regularly publishes reports on forests and forestry in Lapland. The Lapland Forest Damage Project produced, i.e. basic scientific knowledge about Laplands forest ecosystems and the changes taking place in them.
Sustainability is a leading strategy in northern forestry.
The most prominent human impacts on natural waters are caused by intensive forest management areas, point loads to watercourses, water regulation for hydro energy purposes, and dredging waterways for timber floating routes. The Lapland Regional Environment Centre, as a part of the environmental administration has a role in promoting an environment where the values of nature and human activity are in balance, in relation to the nature and the people of Lapland. The work is influencing environmental decision-making, supervision, control, reporting on the state of the environment and other measures for improving environmental awareness. Renovation projects related to improving the state of the environment, for example, following forestry ditching and timber floating, lay the foundation for those livelihoods that have a sustainable way of utilizing the biologically diverse nature and the clean environment of Lapland. The Lapland Regional Environment Centres activities emphasize cooperation among municipalities, other authorities and research institutes, as well as international cooperation with neighbouring countries.