Posted on October, 08 2001

Helsinki, Finland - WWF, together with six other Finnish conservation organizations, ordered the conduct of a poll on Finnish People's attitudes on forest protection in southern Finland. Findings have shown that Finns generally feel positive about the protection of forests in the area. Eighty-six percent of those who replied want to increase the number and area of protected forests. A majority also thinks that forest protection is important to conserve animal and plant species and to promote recreational use of forests.

Forest protection in southern Finland is a hot topic at the moment, since a broad-based committee is trying to reach a political decision on how, where and how much forest protection should be realized in southern Finland. At the moment, only 1.1% of forests in southern Finland are protected.

The poll findings show that majority of the Finns don't believe that forest protection deteriorates the welfare of Finnish people. Seventy-two percent hope that there will be forests in as a natural state as possible at a distance of less than 50 kilometres from home. Forty-seven percent would like to have such forests at a distance of less than 10 kilometres from home.

Fifty-nine percent believe that the international reputation of Finland will benefit from increased forest protection, and that this will improve the economic growth of the export industry. Forty-three percent of Finns feel that forests must be protected, even if it affects the growth opportunities of the Finnish forest sector.

The poll was carried out by Suomen Gallup, one of the largest market research agencies in Finland. The sample was 1,510 people, who represent the Finnish population of the age 15 and more (excluding Åland province). The margin for error is �2.3.

For further information contact:

Harri Karjalainen, Forest Manager, WWF Finland, harri.karjalainen@wwf.fi, +358 40 563 7179

Paivi Rosqvist, Head of Communications, WWF Finland, paivi.rosqvist@wwf.fi, +358 400 425 666