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The rural landscape in Kenozero National Park can be considered as reference area for North-Europe. Much of life is still lived in a traditional way. The agricultural system has only to a smaller extent been changed during the last century. Most people lives as subsidiary farmers - cultivating what they need by themselves. Also animals are still kept to quite a large extent even if the amount is going down.

Kenozero National Park focus preserving the landscape and the buildings in the area. The landscape is made up by humans and grazed by domestic animals. Without domestic animals the landscape will slowly start to change. Many villages in the area were by political decision emptied in the 1950'is. Still former fields and grazed areas can be seen in the landscape in empthy villages but the over-growing process has started. Old grazed areas can stay open for many decades but once when the process of over-growing starts it will be fast.

Domestic animals are totally depending on the humans living in these far remote villages. And human depends on his age. Old people have not anymore the strength that they used to have in taking care of the native animals. Young people move away from the villages and will return only for holidays. They are not interested in a hard life with a low income on the permissions of nature.

Animal keeping far up in the North of Europe requires a lot of preparations for the winter. Only animals native to the area can survive and benefit from the local flora in a maximum way. Still most of the animals are native but if people not are aware of the value of the native animals they may be mixed with animals from the south. The own native animals may grow slowly and give a low rate of output in meat and other goods but they are hardy, well adapted to the climate in the area. Also plants are mostly native. Still it is possible to find native cultivars among garden flowers, but also old type cereals, flax as well as vegetables (potato, pea, cabbage).