Rainer Alarik Hakulinen

Rainar Alarik Hakulinen (9 October 1918 – 29 December 1991) was a Finnish lichenologist and schoolteacher. He was noted as an expert on the lichen family Candelariaceae, and was known for his numerous phytogeographical publications about the boreal and arctic lichens of Finland, Northern Norway, and Russian Karelia.

Biography Hakulinen was born in on 9 October 1918. At the time, this area was part of Finland, but is now in the Republic of Karelia, a part of Russia. Hakulinen served in the Finnish Army in its war against Russia in 1941–1944, spending a lot of his time there on the frontier at the Svir River. He spent several months in military hospitals to heal his wounds.

Hakulinen published his last scientific paper in 1968, and essentially ceased lichenological activity after that. His applications for professorship at the Universities of Turku and Oulu were rejected, and he moved on to other interests. He published three books (1972, 1978, 1986) on the history of his home parish Kurkijoki, and two school history books.