Forest authorities and Greenpeace reach agreement on felling restrictions in Lapland

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Metsähallitus, the state enterprise that administers state-owned forest land and water areas, reached agreement with the environmental organisation Greenpeace on Tuesday in a longstanding dispute on the fate of eight forest areas in the central part of Finnish Lapland.
      Under the agreement, 35,000 hectares of forest are to be excluded from felling indefinitely.
      The areas had been excluded from a protection scheme for old-growth forests of Northern Finland, because Finnish Lapland was seen to have too many protected areas.
     
Both environmentalists and reindeer herders opposed the felling, which was started in many of the forests that are now being spared. The forests are not being officially declared conservation areas, but Metsähallitus is excluding them from felling on its own decision.
     
A similar move in the Nellim area of Inari in the east of the province has restricted felling in local forests.
      “Forest peace has been agreed in Lapland. It also improves Finland’s image in the world”, says regional director Kii Korhonen of Metsähallitus.
      “We feel that the areas are important, because the latest studies show that the preservation of endangered species requires extensive areas of old-growth forest”, says Sini Harki of Greenpeace.
      “The move secures the preservation of winter grazing areas for reindeer. One of the areas to be protected is Peurakaira, where most of the forest will be excluded from the threatened felling”, says former reindeer herder Hannu Magga of Sodankylä.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Greenpeace sends truckload of logging waste from Finnish Lapland to Germany (1.11.2005)
  Greenpeace calls for extensive protection of forests of Northern Finland (21.11.2009)
  Settlement reached with WWF on protection of old forests in Lapland (23.2.2006)
  Greenpeace protesters blockade ship in Kemi harbour (8.11.2005)

Links:
  Metsähallitus news release: Agreement reached in Forest Lapland dispute

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