Helsinki/Nurmes October 16th 1998

Four Finnish Nature League (FNL) activists were condemned in court last friday for stopping the forest machines and "damaging" the timber with OLD-GROWTH FOREST-painting in Finnish Northern Karelia in autumn 1996. FNL-activists will have to pay fines from 200 FIM (40 USD) to 1220 FIM (250 USD) and compensations for the Finnish state enterprise Forest and Park Service totalling 22 000 FIM (4400 USD).

Tens of FNL-activists protested against FPS`s old-growth forest clearcuttings in autumn 1996. Demonstrations were arranged in front of the ENSO`s head office in Helsinki and in the FPS`s logging sites in eastern Finland.

The timber in the logging sites was marked with letters AARNIOMETSAA (old-growth forest). FPS demanded compensations for the cleaning of timber, because -according to one of the witnesses from FPS- the buyers of the timber (Enso, UPM, Vapo) demanded that no logs with "old-growth"-label should be delivered to the mills. The paint itself could not be the reason for cleaning, because the very same paint is used in forestry for marking the timber.

Clearcutting in the areas in question was cancelled by the environment authorities and FPS after the FNL`s action. Because of the high nature values, one of the areas including the logging sites is now included in Finnish Natura 2000 - proposal confirmed by the Counsil of State.

In the autumn and winter 1998-1999 tens of old-growth forests will be clearcutted in state lands by FPS in eastern and northeastern Finland. Forest giants ENSO and UPM are the main buyers of FPS`s timber.

The Finnish Nature League sends best regards and support for Greenpeace- and Faltbiologerna-activists who were resisting old-growth forest logging in Storkamen in Swedish Lapland last week.

For more information please contact: mr. Matti Liimatainen, tel. +358-9-630 300 email: max(@)sll.fi

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