WHY PROTECT OLD-GROWTH FORESTS? Within past five years Finnish forest industry, Forest and Park Service, Forest owners assocations and some individuals have been bringing accusations against Finnish NGOs accusing us of spreading misleading and wrong information on Finnish forests. Despite of these accusations there haven`t been one single example of this kind of "wrong information" - and won`t be. There is no reason for Finnish NGO`s to invent own "opinions" on old-growth forest protection - results of official researches etc. are enough.

Finnish Environment Institute: The present network of forest reserves is inadequate in most parts of Finland "Protected areas are needed to preserve biodiversity of forests, because managed forests are are mainly used for intensive tree production. The present network of forest reserves is inadequate in most parts of Finland (excluding Forest Lapland) in maintaining biodiversity of forests. On the basis of the present work, forest reserves should cover about 10% of the forest land (south of Forest Lapland). Preserving natural, old-growth forests is important, as they are essential for several species groups. The estimate of the 10% of forest land to be protected was based on the critical thresholds of habitat fragmentation, on the systematic reserve selection to consist of all species in a particular group (land birds), on the minimum proportion of old-growth forests in the forest landscape and on the predictions of ecological models." Virkkala, Raimo: Reserve network of forests in Finland and the need for developing the network - an ecological approach. Finnish Environment Institute, Nature and Land Use Division. May 1996.

Ministry of the Environment: Forestry has made the life of many demanding species extremely difficult. The numbers of species living in herb-rich forests and, in particular, in old-growth forests have declined markedly. As aresult of the intensified use of timber, trees are grown in general realtively young stands of the same age. The main species in commercial forests are pine, spruce and birch; there is a little of decaying wood. Areas of wild forest are fragmented. The building of forest roads has brought mechanical logging to previously almost virgin areas. Silviculture is extended to mires as well, which have been drained with a wiew to producing timber on peatlands. Originally, as much as a third of the country`s total surface area was covered with mires; now almost half of them, the majority in southern Finland, have been drained. All this has made Finland a pioneer in efforts to secure sustainable timber production. It has, however, also made the life of many demanding species extremely difficult. In-depth studies reveal that forests shelter a good 40 percent of all Finland`s threatened plant and animal species. The numbers of species living in herb-rich forests and, in particular, in old-growth forests have declined markedly. Salminen, Pekka et al.: Finland`s forests - Timber and bidiversity. Ministry of the Environment, 1995

Forest and Park Service: Due to human activities, every 15th known species in Finland is in danger of disappearing. In almost fifty percent of the cases, forestry is the main cause. Old-growth taiga forests constitute one of Finlands original ecosystems. Their future is being determined now. The large number of threatened forest species is an indication that the ecological threshold has already been crossed beyond which logging endangers the ecosystem and causes extinctions. There is little pristine old-growth taiga forest left, but there is a lot of commercial forest. Consequently, every time some of the former is cut, Finlands forest ecosystem becomes that much less diverse. Old-growth forests are biologically considerably richer than commercial ones and they have a different species assemblage. There are over 135 threatened species inhabiting old-growth forests, 64 of them being incapable of surviving elsewhere. The number of species preferrring, or compeletely dependant on, natural forests is far greater than the number favouring commercial forests. Forest and Park Service: "Old-growth Taiga Forests - A Challenge to Nature Protection", Nature Protection Unit, 1996. MORE DOWN BELOW.

WHY PROTECT OLD-GROWTH FORESTS? Old-growth taiga forest means a pristine boreal forest that is rich in decaying wood. Such forests are characterised by a varied age structure and continuous subtle changes. Old-growth taiga forests constitute one of Finlands original ecosystems. Their future is being determined now. The large number of threatened forest species is an indication that the ecological threshold has already been crossed beyond which logging endangers the ecosystem and causes extinctions. ONCE LOST, OLD-GROWTH FORESTS MAY NEVER BE REPLACED There is little pristine old-growth taiga forest left, but there is a lot of commercial forest. Consequently, every time some of the former is cut, Finlands forest ecosystem becomes that much less diverse. Mere aging of the trees does not turn a commercial stand into a natural old-growth forest. Commercial forest development is controlled by management so that it never resembles the original forest. Old-growth forest takes centuries to develop. Moreover, the entire species assemblage may never return. Biodiversity is made up of genetic variability within a species and a large species assemblage and variety of habitats. Old-growth forests are biologically considerably richer than commercial ones and they have a different species assemblage. Commercial forest in the context used here means tree stands subjected to cutting or silvicultural measures of various kinds. The main purpose of such a stand is timber production.

FORESTS REGENERATE NATURALLY In old-growth forests there are clumps of trees of different ages, dead and decaying trees, and a specific microclimate. Wild fires, storms, insects and fungi alter the structure of the forest by killing and felling trees. New trees spring up in the gaps and fallen trees decay to the benefit of animal and plant specialists. As Scots pines become old and growth ceases, their bark resembles a covering of scales. There are 600-700 year-old pines growing in our old-growth forests. Some of these are two centuries older than the city of Helsinki . INHABITANTS OF OLD-GROWTH FORESTS ARE THREATENED Due to human activities, every 15th known species in Finland is in danger of disappearing. In almost fifty percent of the cases, forestry is the main cause. There are over 135 threatened species inhabiting old-growth forests, 64 of them being incapable of surviving elsewhere. They include species of fungi and insects living in and on dying and dead wood. The number of species preferrring, or compeletely dependant on, natural forests is far greater than the number favouring commercial forests. ---------------------------- NOTE: this text is quotation from a leaflet "Old-growth Taiga Forest - A Challenge To Nature Protection", published by Nature Protection Unit of Forest and Park Service 1996. This is one of the best leaflets ever made over this issue - the leaflet has among other info marvellous photographs. Contact: Nature protection unit of Forest and Park Service, P.O.Box 94, FIN-01301 Vantaa, Finland.

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