Posted on February, 22 2006

WWF and Metsähallitus:
Old-growth forest dispute settled through extended protection in Northern Finland

Helsinki, Finland – In negotiations between WWF and Metsähallitus, an agreement has been reached to complement the protection of old-growth forests in Northern Finland. This resolves the controversy that has been lingering since the government resolution on the matter in 1996. The conservation plan drawn up by Metsähallitus in June 2005 has been fine-tuned and specified with the help of additional field data provided by environmental organisations.

The complementary areas in Kainuu, Ostrobothnia, Koillismaa and in Lapland south of Inari contain 55,000 hectares of old-growth forest proper. Metsähallitus is now permanently excluding these areas from all forest management operations.

An agreement has been reached over conservation in areas that border, in the south, on a line drawn from Oulu to southern Kuhmo and in the north on Enontekiö's municipal border and the northern areas of the Kittilä, Sodankylä, Savukoski and Salla municipalities. This agreement includes the sites also marked in the "Last of the Last" maps published by the Taiga Rescue Network in 2000 (**). Considering this agreement and all previous old-growth forest conservation decisions, Metsähallitus and WWF have now secured the essential conservation values in the state-owned old-growth forests administered by Metsähallitus in the area under scrutiny.

The areas for conservation were selected on the basis of established old-growth forest criteria. Special attention was given to biodiversity features and occurrences of threatened species. The main focus in selecting the areas was on retaining the ecological viability of the old-growth forest. Small old-growth forest fragments were therefore excluded, with a few exceptions on the southern fringe of the area.

Besides the regions listed above, areas in the vegetation zone "Forest Lapland" south of Inari were also reviewed. Here the conservation rate is much higher than elsewhere (Raimo Virkkala, SYKE 2000: Forest conservation rate in Forest Lapland in 1997 was 40.3%). By its present decision Metsähallitus further increased conservation in this area, too. In Forest Lapland, however, fairly natural old-growth forests also exist in commercial forests. Metsähallitus will review the sufficiency of the conservation network and any shortcomings before carrying out site-specific operational planning in these forests. The reconciliation of the needs of forestry, reindeer herding and other forest uses will continue by means of natural resource planning and operational planning with stakeholders.

"This conservation decision is internationally significant. Finland demonstrates its global responsibility by safeguarding the conservation of these unique old-growth forests. The negotiation process sets an example of constructive conflict-solving to many ongoing forest disputes around the world," said Duncan Pollard, Director of WWF International's Forest Programme, in a press conference in Helsinki.

"Metsähallitus practises responsible forestry, reconciling the views of different stakeholder groups. We're pleased with the understanding reached with WWF as it inspires confidence in the future of forest-based industry in Northern Finland," said Forestry Director Hannu Jokinen from Metsähallitus.

END NOTES:
* Metsähallitus is a state enterprise whose main tasks are to supply wood to the forest industry and manage most of Finland’s protected areas. Metsähallitus administers more than 12 million hectares of state land and water areas mainly in northern and eastern Finland.

** The Last of the Last maps by the Taiga Rescue Network: The Taiga Rescue Network, an international network of non-governmental organizations, coordinated a project that culminated in the creation of maps and a report summing up the locations, conservation status and threats of Northern Europe’s old-growth forests.

For further information:
Duncan Pollard, Director
WWF Global Forest Programme
Tel: +41 794 773 336

Timo Tanninen, CEO
WWF-Finland
Tel: +358 40 574 9266 

Jussi Kumpula, Director, Timber Supply
Metsähallitus
Tel: +358 400 388 614 

Kii Korhonen, Regional Director
Metsähallitus
Tel: +358 400 300 861