|
Press
release April 9, 1999
Old-growth
forest wood from Russian moratorium areas to Finland
Old-growth
forest wood from the moratorium area north from Kostamuksa, right
by the planned Kalevala-park have been exported to Finland during
March 1999. The logger of the pine pulp wood was Kostamuksa Lespromhoz
and it is brought to Finland by Finnish trucking company Laulumaa.
This is the first time after spring 1997 when wood from moratorium
forests is known to be imported in Finland. StoraEnso, UPM-Kymmene,
Vainionpaa and Kokkoniemi have claimed not doing business with
Laulumaa. The final receiver of moratorium wood is still unknown.
Moratorium
wood from the Russian border zone is also imported in Finland
via boundary station in Salla in Northern Finland. Some of the
wood is apparently being carried further to Sweden.
Finnish
mining company Outokumpu has withdrawn from mining operations
threatening the Laplandsky Les area in Murmansk region. The reasons
for withdrawal were mainly economical, but the pressure from NGOs
had no doubt some effect. However, loggings in the area have supposingly
started. The wood will be imported to both Finland and Norway
for unknown buyers.
Moratorium
expanding towards east in Archangel, Komi and Vologda regions
Greenpeace
Russia has published first versions for moratorium maps in Archangel,
Komi and Vologda regions. After seeing the maps, the Swedish company
"East-West Forest" withdrew from vast logging of Archangel
natural forests. The company also committed to the moratorium
in the future.
At
least the Finnish companies StoraEnso, UPM-Kymmene, Thomesto,
Aranna, Koskitukki and Inerpuu still procure wood from these areas.
However, the first Finnish moratorium commitments from these companies
are expected during May.
For
more information:
Mr Otso Ovaskainen, otso(@)sll.fi,
tel. +358-50-309 2795
|