Case study: Valtimo 1995-1996

Old-growth forest loggings in state lands denounced by Finnish Environmental Institute

 

Read what environment authorities of Finnish State, leader of Regional Environment Institute in Northern Karelia and her experts wrote in their memoranda considering the activities of Forest and Park Service (FPS) in winter 1995/1996 and spring 1996.

Photographs are taken in one of the areas which are mentioned in memoranda. Areas in question are located in municipality of Valtimo, in district of Northern Karelia, eastern Finland.

Clearcuttings were carried out by governmental enterprise Forest and Park Service. Among other nature values loggings destroyed habitats of endangered flying squirrel (Pteromys volans).

The quotations are from memoranda by the Regional Environment Institute on May 5 and July 29, 1996.

 

Murtovaara, Valtimo municipality

 
BEFORE AFTER

 

"...despite of numerous contacts and the material sent to Forest and Park Service, the valuable old-growth forest habitats were logged completely except for few small patches."

 

"The Regional Environment Agency in Northern Karelia considers the way the valuable forest areas have been fragmented not to be in harmony with the current forest management directions nor with the international commitments."

 

BEFORE AFTER

 

"In general the Environment Institute finds it very regretable that the last fragments of the remaining valuable old-growth forests and other valuable biotopes are continuously subjected to fragmentation without any large scale planning or observation."

 

"... the loggings which now have been found out, were not reported in advance, nor were the other facts of the agreements [between FPS and Regional Environment Institute] followed...the Regional Environment Institute is of the opinion that in this case the procedures specifically defined and agreed by both parties have been broken on purpose and significant ecological values have been destroyed."

 

Loggings in Valtimo continued in September 1996. New surveys of nature values revealed e.g. several endangered species - FPS did not care. See the latest report from Ruostekorpi-area with photos.

 

Photos by the Finnish Nature League

 

 

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