Clearcutting threatening wilderness forests north from Paanajarvi National Park

The Finnish Nature League FNL

VANISHING OLD-GROWTH FORESTS
IN FINLAND AND RUSSIA: Paanajärvi
www.luontoliitto.fi/forest/russia/paanajarvi

Clearcutting threatens wilderness on the northern side of the Paanajärvi
National Park

Landscape in wilderness. The road will be constructed through the valley in the middle. Photo by Matti Pellinen 1997.

The old-growth forests and landscapes in 1997 >>> Photos 1

The road construction in September 1998 >>> Photos 2

Paanajärvi, one of the largest old-growth wilderness forest area in northwestern Europe >>> Reports on the nature values

Paanajärvi / Pjaozero -situation >>> Background

Serious violation of the Karelian old-growth forest logging moratorium - Road being built into the Paanajärvi wilderness
>>> Press release

Open letter to the CEO of Stora Enso from Russian NGOs August 4, 1998 >>> The letter

In the simplified satellite image (right)
the dark old-growth massive of Paanajärvi area is clearly visible in the upper right hand corner.
White areas are waters and light grey represents mires, clearcuts, young forests and other relatively open areas.
The Finnish Oulanka National Park can be seen just west from the Paanajärvi area. Northern part of the Kalevala-forests is visible in the lower end of the image.
Image was taken in spring 1997.

Road construction started in September 1998.

Road construction started in September 1998.
Photo by the Finnish Nature League

The map (right) shows the moratorium areas around Paanajärvi National Park with light green,
some of the existing logging roads with black and biggest waters with blue. The red line shows the road currently under construction. The yellow line describes the long term plan to connect forest roads in northwestern
side of the National Park.

Map and image copyright: The Finnish Nature League