A. V. (August Vilhelm) Ervasti

August Vilhelm Ervasti (1845–1900), who used the surname Ervast until 1876, was a Finnish journalist, writer, and research traveler. He was born in Raahe and died in Helsinki, studied at the University of Helsinki, and became known for his close interest in Karelia and the cultural life of Finnish-speaking communities.

Ervasti traveled in places such as Russian Karelia and Finnmark, then turned those journeys into writing that documented local conditions, people, and traditions. He is especially associated with travel memoirs and ethnographic-style observation, including Muistelmia matkalta Venäjän Karjalassa kesällä 1879, a work remembered for its detailed look at Russian Karelia.

He also wrote under the pseudonym Neuter and has been described as part of the Finnish nationalist, or Fennoman, cultural movement of his time. Alongside his literary work, he contributed to public discussion through journalism and other nonfiction writing, helping preserve a picture of northern and Karelian life in the late 19th century.