Naujienos

*Greenpeace action threatens future of forest economy in whole of Upper Lapland

The Forest Owners' Union of Northern Finland is concerned about the effects of Greenpeace action on forest economy in Upper Lapland.

The disputes give an erroneous idea of felling remaining ancient forests, although the work concerns areas where more than half of the forest is already protected. Coordination of the area’s forestry and other economic activities has been under development for decades and the development work is ongoing.

The ultimate reason for the conflicts is competition between different systems of certification and the dispute over land ownership of Sami people, as well as economic hardship suffered by reindeer herders due to the low market price of reindeer meat. A necessary precondition for sustaining the population and services in Upper Lapland is to develop all economic activities in concert. Additional protection provides no solution to these problems, nor can they be removed by placing restrictions on forest economy.

Debate over certification of forests and the land ownership issue of Sami people must not be confused with each other. Sami land ownership should be resolved in accordance with Finnish legislation, without disregarding the rights of local people.

Consequences of the disputes as not limited only to state-owned forests. The threat is also directed at the future of private forestry, although the major part of the criticism is directed at fellings by Metsähallitus. The felling potential of privately owned forests is not sufficient to sustain the present sawmill industry of Upper Lapland and the Kemijärvi Pulp Mill. By jeopardising their future, development and existence of industrial plants essential for wood utilisation in privately owned forests are also threatened.

Due to the age structure of the forests, strongly growing young stands will not provide increasingly abundant felling opportunities until in 10-20 years’ time. Until then, it must be possible to utilise mature commercial forests saved from fellings for this very purpose. Forest economy and the wood supply of industrial plants cannot sustain gap years.