Finnish government destroys its own ancient forests
20 February 2002
Helsinki - Greenpeace activists stopped the State Forest  and Park Service from logging some of Finland's last ancient forests in the Kainuu region in north-eastern Finland.
The dozen activists from Finland, Sweden and Germany stopped the Forest and Park Service from clearcutting ancient forests in Jatkokangas after Greenpeace activists stopped a road construction in Puolanka the day before. The road was being built to facilitate transportation of ancient forest wood to the international market.
This is not the first time the Forest and Park Service (FPS) has clearcut ancient forests in Finland this year. In January, the FPS logged huge areas of the country's last remaining ancient forests in Taivalkoski in central Finland. The logging took place with the assistance of police forces who arrived upon request of the FPS.
 Only 3.6 percent of Finland's forests are protected by law. This level of forest conservation is insufficient to conserve forest biodiversity. Unless the conservation level is increased and the ecological sustainability of forestry improved, thousands of species may be threatened by extinction. Less than five percent of Finnish forests are critical ancient forests, supporting much of the country's forest diversity. These forests are also home to the country's traditional reindeer-herding people and less than half of their traditional lands have been protected by law.
 "Consumers of Finnish wood should not be deceived," said Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Matti Liimatainen. "This government is destroying the last remaining ancient forests of Finland, either by being party to the destruction, or by turning a blind eye to it. The FPS owns around 25 percent of Finland's forests, and uses this power to clearcut our last remaining ancient forests."
Fifteen percent of the world's pulp and paper comes from Finland. Germany, France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands are the main importers of Finnish forest products and run the risk of becoming part to the destruction of these forests.
In the run up to the United Nations' forthcoming Ancient Forest Summit and beyond, Greenpeace is urging the government of Finland and the governments of all importing countries to immediately stop their role in the destruction of Finland's forests.
Ask your government to stop the destruction and help SAVE the world's remaining ancient forests.
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