Under the patronage of Brigitte Malou and Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Thank you for donating to GoodPlanet Belgium via http://www.goodplanet.be/donation/
How it all started
Kungsleden
The Expedition
The goals of the Expedition
- Make people see the beauty of the Kungsleden and the Swedish Arctic region and Inspire people to go outdoors and
start exploring our precious planet. - Document the effects of climate change in Lapland, interviewing the few people we will be meeting on the trail.
- Collect funding for a a variety of GoodPlanet nature reconnection programs for children.
The Team
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Bert Poffé (46) – Explorer and rewilding coach – PR GoodPlanet Belgium
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The 10 Dogs 
Raphael Fiegen (26) – Musher & Adventurer from Luxemburg
Belgian explorer Bert Poffé has a special interest in the First Nations of the North, and indigenous people and nomads in general. Travelling through wild places and learning from nature is what he loves most. He has met many inspiring people of different Canadian First Nations such as the Anishnabe, Atikamekw, Huron and Mic Mac, and has lived with several nomadic Mongolian families. Bert is also a rewilding coach, inspiring people to reconnect with nature and with their wilder self in order to gain optimal physical and mental health.On 40 Paws, The Documentary
Film maker Romain Gierenz (Lux) will make the documentary “ON 40 PAWS” about Raphael and Bert’s Kungsleden Dogsled Expedition 2016. Romain studied film and media in Stuttgart and works as a film maker since 2013. He worked primarily in the field of promotional films but recently decided to dedicate himself exclusively to storytelling, in order to be able to promote thrilling projects. The documentary “On 40 Paws” appeals to him in particular, because he aims to reach people’s interests in what motivations in life does one gain from spending 3 weeks in the wilderness?
- He wants to raise awareness for following issues:
climate change: How does the climatic change affect the northern territories? Romain hopes to draw attention to this problem, and show how every single person can contribute to counteract the climate change - alternative lifestyles: Are we slowly losing our connection to nature? How can we reclaim our affinity to nature and the peace it provides?
The bottom line question of this documentary is: “Is it possible to inspire people or motivate them for changes through the obtained insights of a 3 weeks arctic expedition?”
http://www.blackphoenix.lu/en/
The Patrons of the Expedition
Brigitte Malou, Managing Drector of the Domain of the Caves of Han  The Domaines des Grottes de Han is right in the middle between Bert (in Leuven, Belgium) and his expedition team mate Raphael Fiegen (in Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg). I am happy they use the Domaine as a meeting point to prepare for the expedition. As board member of GoodPlanet Belgium and administrator of a wild animal reserve, I fully share with Bert and Raphaël the passion for nature and wildlife. I fully support their expedition and the efforts of this Luxembourg-Belgium team to raise funds for GoodPlanet Belgium.Happy trails Bert and RaphaëlBrigitte Malou www.grotte-de-han.be |
| Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Photographer and film director
I Please support them! Yann Arthus-Bertrand |
am happy and honored to be the patron of Bert Poffé’ and Raphael Fiegen’s “Kungsleden Dogsled Expedition 2016”. Offsetting CO2 emissions
Long term INUKSUK partner co2logic will offset the CO2 emissions from the flights and the car transport to the startpoint in Hemavand Fjallcenter and back home after arrival in Abisko.
www.co2logic.com
Communications
Inuksuk’s communication partner xpair will take care of the expedition’s communication in Belgium
http://www.xpair.be/
The Story…
On February the 22nd, 2016, Musher Raphael Fiegen and explorer Bert Poffé departed from the village of Hemavan to travel almost 500 kilometers on the famous Kungsleden, with arrival planned in Abisko. Their intention was to travel Kungsleden unsupported, with one sled and 10 dogs, including food and gear for themselves and the 10 dogs for 20 days.
However, things didn’t go as planned. The combination of the (too) heavy sled for the slopes of the Kungsleden, deep fresh powder snow, the absence of a good frozen trail, and a dog team that was making its last trip before retirement made the team quickly realise that these circumstances would not allow them to cover the 500 km to Abisko.
Fearing for the health of the dogs, especially the acute risk of hip injuries and exhaustion with even more severe consequences, the musher Raphael wanted 
to continue, but finally opted for the well being of the dogs, which Bert agreed with fully. Eventually they decided to interrupt the expedition at Ammarnäs, a small village of three streets and a few houses deciding that this was the best place to pull out and return to civilization. After Ammarnäs, continuing the expedition would have taken the team and dogs into terrain would go straight uphill, and also making any cancellation and pull-out much more difficult and dangerous for the team.
It takes time to come to terms with the fact that they didn’t reach the goal they set for the expedition but the expedition did not ‘fail’. The team travelled through one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world and all came back safe and sound. Raphael and Bert learned a great deal from this experience, perhaps more than the adventures and expeditions that successfully achieve their objectives. The two explorers and last but not least the 10 dogs, Kenai, Ikuma, Magic, Chill, Alfa, Faruk, Iki, Kila, Nayeli and Yuma, and l film director Roman Gierenz; the man who had to learn snowmobiling in just one week and had to film in sometimes severe and harsh conditions without any support of a film crew, have become friends for life.
In the press: Kungsleden Dogsled Expedition 2016
- Leuvense avonturier trekt op expeditie naar lapland / Leuven Actueel
- The Swedish arctic Kungsleden Dogsled Expedition / Arctic05