Case study: Ruostekorpi, autumn 1996

Logging the key-biotope, telling misleading information to environment authorities - sustainable forestry by Forest and Park Service

Experts and scientists from Finnish Environment Institute, University of Helsinki and BirdLife Finland as well as several independent nature watchers pointed out nature values of this old-growth forest area in eastern Finland, municipality of Valtimo - but data of endagered red-listed species did not help. FPS logged the area during september and october - even so-called key-biotopes were clearcutted. Several endangered species "Based already on short-time ecological survey, this area is extremely interesting in scientific perspective and worth of protecting in consept of protecting the biodiversity. Connections to larger old-growth forest areas in this region emphasizes importance of this forest as dispersion route of rare species." Leading expert of polypores in Finland, Mr. Tuomo Niemelä from University of Helsinki, in his statement based on ecological surveys in 1996. FPS misleading Ministry of Environment Before loggings in 1996 FPS showed logging plans to Ministry of Environment - but not all the logging plans were revealed. Actually, this is not surprising - among other areas FPS logged also a so-called key-biotope, herb-rich site of old-growth forest.

Old-growth forest in Ruostekorpi before loggings

Before logging. "The Age of the Massive Clearcut Is Over. Today the average size of the FPS`s regeneration areas is 6,5 hectares." This is how they do it. In this panorama one can see two different logging sites: on the front logging made in 1996, on the background clearcuttings made in early 90ies. Total area of 'regeneration' areas is tens of hectares - but this "ecological corridor" 10 metres in breadth is supposed to make areas separate.