
Kaisa K. Vainio
Visiting Researcher
Visiting Researcher
PhD. student in the Department of Forest Sciences MA in Cultural Anthropology
School of Forest Sciences, Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology
[email protected] | +358 50 478 0465
I am a cultural anthropologist and forest relationship researcher specializing in multidisciplinary environmental studies, qualitative methods, research interviews, and sensory ethnography.
My dissertation “Favorite Trees: A Perspective on Inter-Species Friendship in the Diversity of Tree Relationships”, examines individual’s’ attachment to favourite trees and cultural relationships with trees, focusing on perspectives such as multi-speciesism, nature connections, ownership, memories, sensory experiences, tree care, over-generationalism, nature-related spirituality, and the Finnish relationship with forests. This research is part of the Kone Foundation-funded project, Trees Near Us.
I am interested in the values and emotions related to nature, the relationship of northern peoples, Arctic issues, and human-environment coexistence.
I work full-time in the Department of Geography at the University of Turku on the MUST project, focusing on the coexistence of people and nature.
Research Themes
- Cultural Environmental Studies
- Multispecies Transition
- Human-nature relationships.
- Cultural forest research
- Plant studies
- Research in Russia and Eastern Europe
- Fieldwork in Finland, Arctic Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
Other Skills:
- Science Communication & Media
- Storytelling & Performance
- Interactive Stories and LARP
- Event planning and coordination
- Museum Work and Exhibit Design
Research groups
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Peat&Trees - Peatland and Soil Ecology Resear… 02.02.2012 -
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Social Scientific Biosociety Research Network (SO… 01.01.2018 -
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Researchers’ Network of Environmental Culture 01.08.2008 - 31.07.2030
Projects
Publications
8/8 items-
Green companions: Affordances of human–tree relationships
Vainio, Kaisa Kristiina; Takala, Tuomo; Limpens, Juul; Lummaa, Karoliina; Korrensalo, Aino; Räsänen, Aleksi; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina. 2025. Ambio. [Published: 27 January 2025]: 1-19 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Do you have a tree friend?-Human-tree relationships in Finland
Vainio, Kaisa; Korrensalo, Aino; Takala, Tuomo; Räsänen, Aleksi; Lummaa, Karoliina; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina. 2024. People and nature. 6: 646-659 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
Lempipuut: Lajienvälisen ystävyyden näkökulma puusuhteiden moninaisuuteen
Vainio, Kaisa K.. 2024. Dissertationes forestales G5 Doctoral dissertation (article) -
Itseksi puiden kanssa : Identiteettiä jäsentävät puut suomalaisessa nykyrunoudessa ja lempipuuaiheisessa verkkokyselyssä
Lummaa, Karoliina; Vainio, Kaisa K; Korrensalo, Aino; Takala, Tuomo; Tuittila, Eeva-Stiina. 2023. Elore. 30: 34-58 A1 Journal article (refereed), original research -
What can be achieved with intercultural exchange?
Vainio, Kaisa. 2020. Baltic rim economies. : 58 D1 Article in a trade journal -
Elämämme tärkeät puut nostavat tunteet pintaan
Vainio, Kaisa. 2019. Metsäsuhteita-blogi. : - E1 Popularised article, newspaper article -
Nyt puhutaan puista ja tunteista!
Vainio, Kaisa. 2019. Suomen metsäyhdistyksen blogi. : - E1 Popularised article, newspaper article -
Onko sinullakin puuystävä?
Vainio, Kaisa. 2019. Antroblogi. : - E1 Popularised article, newspaper article