Kaisa K. Vainio

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