Borovichev E.A. Botanical excursion on the Northern Soroya. Hammerfest, 2014.

The cooperation project Excursions on the Soraya Island” was initiated in 2011 by the ecologists of Hammerfest [Commune (Northern Norway) and scientists of Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute (Kirovsk, Russia). Project’s purpose is to illustrate major vegetation types and the most common plants o f the northern part o f the Soroya Island, one of the largest islands of northern Finnmark. Norway does considerable amount to encourage the interests in both nature conservation and outdoor recreation. People enjoy a diverse range o f holidays in the area, adventure tourism, ecotourism as well as general sightseeing by students and families. The appreciation o f the fragile world o f wild nature motivates people to contribute to the protection o f the area. Educational tourism itself and as a part o f sightseeing, sportive, family, students, etc. and other types o f tourism motivates people by the desire to learn and enjoy the environment, gets people accustomed to the fragile world of wild nature and can considerably contribute to its protection. Being an important part o f terrestrial Introduction Botanical biodiversity, plants represent the most peculiar and loveliest o f its components, in response to the growing interest in the Seraya Island plant life, this guide-book helps to identify the most common and distinguished vegetation types as well as most prominent and interesting wildflowers, mosses and lichens. The book doesn’t substitute the excellent guide-books, manuals and lists o f plants, lichens and vegetation types o f Norway and other Scandinavian countries, which are o f great help for people interested in natural history and ecotourism in the North. We hope that the book would add to better understanding and intense delight o f magnificent nature of the Seraya Island, the largest emerald in the crown o f the northern Norway. Our sincere thanks to editors o f this guide­ book, especially Andy Sortland, Tromso University, Michael Dodd and Irina Tatarenko, The Open University, for inspiring discussion and good advices. Warmest acknowledgements to Tom Eric and Elena Ness, for enabling us to visit Soraya Island and for indispensable support o f this book. 11