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Monthly
report on Finnish forests, October 1999 Finnish
Nature League FNL / forest department
1. Loggings and logging plans in Kainuu old-growth forests by FPS. FNL prepares to take action against old-growth forest destruction The Forest and Park Service (FPS) continues logging valuable old-growth forests. In Kainuu region new loggings have been taking place in various locations. Road construction is going on at Surmansuo in southern Kuhmo. Surmansuo forest is located on the border zone between Finland and Russia, south from the Ulvinsalo Strict Nature Reserve. Surmansuo is site number 115 on the valuable OG-forest map made by Finnish environmental NGOs. The landscape ecological plan protects some 30 % of the area, the rest is left to be logged. Additional information of this logging can not be obtained as FPS is not giving any and the area is situated in the border zone where a special licence of access is required. Laamasenvaara OG-forest (site number 116 on the map) adjacent to the Ulvinsalo Strict Nature Reserve is still threatened. The FPS plans road construction for the upcoming clearcutting. Laamasenvaara forest is a direct continuum of Ulvinsalo forest area and connects Ulvinsalo to the nearby protected OG-forests. There is great number of threatened species in the area, including species needing special protection according to the Nature Conservation Act. Also in Kuhmo, Vattuvaara OG-forests (site number 108) are waiting to be logged this fall. FPS is planning large-scale clearcuttings right next to a protected old-growth forest area. In Malahvia wilderness area in Suomussalmi municipality a storm raged earlier this summer. Windfalls contributed to the biodiversity of the area, especially considering that Malahvia has been suggested to be a protection area. The FPS, however, wants to take windfalls away. This is controversial with FPS' own guidelines how to manage Malahvia area: "Logging in the area will increase biodiversity, e.g. by mimicking storms." How destroying a natural process contributes to the biodiversity of the unique area is unclear. Jämäsvaara area in Kuhmo is the most valuable unprotected site in Finland according to the local environmental NGO. The FPS considers the area as a recreation forest, which will partly be left untouched, but over half of the area will be managed as a regular commercial forest. The Finnish Nature League follows closely the logging situation in Kainuu throughout the fall. Direct non-violent action will be taken to stop loggings and road construction operations in Hot Spot areas if needed. Regional Environment Centre (governmental) of Kainuu stated summer 1999 that the FPS should investigate wood decaying fungi species in the old-growth forests before logging. The FPS has not responded. More information: Mr. Matti Liimatainen, liimatainen(@)sll.fi
2. Artists appealed for the old-growth forests: "Where nature is being destroyed, also national culture and identity, our common heritage and source of power is being destroyed." A group "Artists for the Old-Growth Forests" consisting of artists of different fields organised on September 23 a happening for the Finnish old-growth forests in Helsinki. An appeal to halt OG forest logging was published at the event. So far 152 appreciated experts in photography, theatre, music and literature have signed the appeal. These include actors Esko Nikkari, Esko Salminen and Jonna Järnefelt, authors Pentti Holappa, musicians A.W. Yrjänä and Ismo Alanko, dancer Reijo Kela, director Mika Kaurismäki and the folk music band Värttinä. The appeal was distributed to the biggest owner of the Finnish old-growth forests, state enterprise Forest and Park Service. More information about the artists' appeal: Whole text and list of artists who signed + other stuff: http://www.luontoliitto.fi/forest/artists Or contact Mr. Tuomas Rantanen, +358-(0)40-5077 165, rantanen(@)siili.sll.fi
3. The Forest and Park Service refuses ecological evaluation of its ecological landscape plans - state enterprise refused research plan financed by the Finnish Academy. Professor Ilkka Hanski protested by leaving the expert group Population biologist, academy professor Ilkka Hanski states protection to be more important than additional research: "Current problems will not be solved by doing research but by interfering in the well-known reasons: loss of habitats. In Finland there are almost 1000 threatened old-growth forest species. The existing decisions on forest protection are not sufficient." Hanski feels sorry for the backward atmosphere in Finland compared to Sweden: "The Forest and Park Service did not agree with external evaluation of their ecological landscape planning (ELP). I have been a member of the ELP-expert group, but under these circumstances I cannot but resign." Source: Weekly newspaper Vihreä Lanka, September 17, 1999 More information from web-site "Biodiversity in Boreal Forests" maintained by University of Helsinki, Department of ecology and systematics: http://www.helsinki.fi/science/biobof/LEP.html
4. Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC): "Stop logging state forests for commercial purposes in southern Finland" - Forest owners are not interested in protecting old-growth forests FANC demands political discussion on the usage of the state owned forests in the southern half of Finland. Because of the crucial state of the forest biodiversity, FANC would like to end commercial use of state owned forests. Instead, these forests should be actively restored to their natural state or be used as a compensation for forest protection on private land. Thus, protection issues could be solved by the use of state forests. Though the lack of protected forests and the need for additional protection in the southern part of Finland are a fact, further protection plans did not evoke sympathy among biggest industrial forest owners [in a seminar arranged in Helsinki September 30, 1999]. The holder of the state forests, the Forest and Park Service (FPS) did not see economical possibility nor need for protecting its forests. Multinational forest giant UPM-Kymmene also used the economical importance of their forests as an excuse. Company's forests are a significant reserve for wood procurement (of which no protection can be provided). The representative of the private forest owners claimed there would be no will for protection among private forest owners, either. Private forest owners have some 76 % of the forests in southern Finland, companies have nearly 12 %, the state 7 % and others, such as cities, church and forest commons, about 5 %. The additional forest protection in southern part of Finland will not be decided on until the final results for the protection needs are published. Professor Ilkka Hanski from the University of Helsinki emphasised that most of the demanding forest species will disappear if forest utilisation remains as it is. Disappearance of species has already begun and remarkable protection decisions have to be taken urgently. Restoration of commercial forests is the best way to help the threatened species in the short run. Source: Finnish News Agency STT October 1, 1999 More information: Mr. Keijo Savola, FANC, savola(@)sll.fi
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