Case study: Kangaslampi

- Loggings near Hiidenportti National Park
October 1996

Hiidenportti National Park in border of districst of Kainuu and Northern Karelia is one of the most valuable forest protection areas in Finland. During the mapping of state-owned old-growth forests of Southern Finland in 1990-1996 forests and peatlands around Hiidenportti were classified as "international valuable area".

Despite of this, some 400 hundred hectares of these forests were left out of protection programme. In autumn 1996 Forest and Park Service logged 50 hectares old-growth forests near western side of national park in Kangaslampi -area. The nature protection unit of FPS gave statement against logging plans - forestry unit did not care.

Kangaslampi , October 1996
Clearcutting small hillsides - note so-called retemption trees left for biodiversity.

ENSO, UPM-Kymmene and VAPO bought the timber.

Loggings threatening valuable old-growth forests near eastern side of National Park in next years

Some hundred hectares of old-growth forests and peatlands remains unprotected in eastern side of Hiidenportti. Forest and Park Service is planning loggings and road construction in these areas.

Old-growth forest near eastern side of Hiidenportti, left out of protection plans.

Hundreds of years old, dead Scots-pine ­ still ­ standing on the margin of a small bog in Sortovaara-area. This small forest and peatland area near Hiidenportti is surrounded everywhere by clearcut forests, plantations of spruce and pine and ditched peatlands - despite of this, FPS is planning loggings and road construction in this fragment.

Photos by the Finnish Nature League / Harri Hölttä, Matti Liimatainen