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Press
release February 10, 2000
Forest
and Park Service clearcuts old-growth forest
- Eye-witnesses injured
The Finnish
Nature League (FNL) has for the past 2 days witnessed the logging
of Laamasenvaara old-growth forest in Kuhmo municipality in Eastern
Finland. The FNL activists arrived at the logging site on Wednesday
morning.
Thursday
morning a Forest and Park Service (FPS) harvester fell a tree on a
young forest activist. She was able to walk away from the situation,
but suffers a concussion. Later, three FPS conctractors maltreated
three forest activist, two of which were women under 20 years of age.
The police investigates the matter.
Inspite
of people getting hurt, the Forest and Park Service continues clearcutting
Laamasenvaara. "It is obvious FPS intends to log the controversial
forests as soon as possible and at any cost", states the FNL forest
campaigner Mr Matti Liimatainen.
Court
process unfinished
- FPS continues old-growth forest clearcuts
The FNL
has made an appeal concerning the Natura 2000 programme regarding
those state owned forests, the areas of which are defined ecologically
inaccurately. According to experts' statements on similar situations,
no actions that irrevocably alter the nature of an area should be
taken in areas where an appeal to court has been made.
The FNL
has also appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court for prohibition
of any actions in old-growth forest areas where the Natura complaint
has been made. Management procedures in such places would seriously
affect their protection values.
Laamasenvaara
old-growth forest is one of the some 100 valuable forests where prohibition
has been suggested. Also, the Ministry of the Environment, Ms. Satu
Hassi said today that FPS should halt logging until Supreme Admistrative
Court gives its decision on the matter.
FNL
appeals to Stora Enso and UPM-Kymmene
The FNL
appeals to the forest giants Stora Enso and UPM-Kymmene in order to
put an end to the destruction of old-growth forests. The forest enterprises
should immediately halt wood procurement from the biggest Finnish
old-growth forest owner and logger, the Forest and Park Service until
FPS stops its old-growth logging practices.
Stora
Enso is the biggest single buyer of FPS wood.
More
information:
Mr Matti
Liimatainen, +358 - 50 - 346 2210, liimatainen(@)sll.fi
Ms Annina Käppi, +358 - 9 - 68 444 210, annina(@)luontoliitto.fi
See
photos at the web: http://www.luontoliitto.fi/forest/reports/00/laama0002.html
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