TL: TRN PRELIMINARY GUIDELINES FOR ECOLOGICALLY RESPONSIBLE       
    FORESTRY IN SCANDINAVIA - FINNISH SPECIFICATIONS
SO: Taigan Terminators Campaign, Greenpeace Finland (GP)
DT: February 15, 1995
Keywords: environment forests scandinavia finland terrec logging
/

- SOME MAIN PRINCIPLES AND URGENT NEEDS FOR CHANGE 

APPENDIX 2: FINNISH SPECIFICATIONS TO THE PRELIMINARY 
GUIDELINES FOR ECOLOGICALLY RESPONSIBLE FORESTRY IN SCANDINAVIA.  
 
1. IMMEDIATE HALT OF ALL FORESTRY OPERATIONS AND ROAD-BUILDING IN
REMAINING OLD-GROWTH FORESTS AND WILDERNESS AREAS.
 
Official old-growth forest inventories in Finland are 
incomplete and inadequate and significant old-growth forests
remain to be identified. 
 
In Finland, the old-growth forests are defined to be:
 
"Old forest stands originating through natural succession
dynamics, including stands with history of some selection
loggings. Old-growth forests are characterized by a multilayered
structure, old trees, natural-like tree species diversity or
abundance and/or continuity of dead and decaying wood."
 
11. An immediate halt to all forestry operations in any forests
meeting the old-growth definition above, and in forests next to
undisturbed mires, creeks and springs, in addition to all old-
growth areas identified by the Ministry of the Environment in
southern Finland, and the Finnish Forest and Park Service in
northern Finland.
 
12. An immediate halt to all logging in wilderness areas 
identified by the Wilderness Act of 1992.  
 
 
13. An immediate halt to logging in fire-refugia forest types.   

2. A TEN YEAR LOGGING MORATORIUM ON ADDITIONAL AREAS TO AN EXTENT
OF 15 % OF THEIR PRODUCTIVE FOREST LAND, INCLUDING AREAS
MENTIONED ABOVE, NATURE RESERVES AND OTHER FOREST AREAS UNDER
LEGAL
PROTECTION.
 
21. The areas under the logging moratorium must be chosen to 
cover ecologically and geographically all types of forest nature
as well as geomorphological situations, and to maintain and/or
restore viable populations in natural surroundings. The same 
minimum of 15 % should be applied on each type of forest.     
22.  The existing protection areas should be expanded to cover 
ecologically sound units. Restoration of natural ecosystems
should take place around most nature reserves.  
  
23.  The moratorium should, apart from the legally protected 
reserves and restoration areas, include all the key habitats 
listed in the Environmental Guidelines for Forestry in Finland 
(from March 1994), section 5.2. 
 
24. Logging moratorium must cover all lichen-type forests and
forests on rocky grounds, undrained wet forests as well as
high-altitude forests in northern Finland.
  
25. Some of these protected areas may also serve as reference
sites as per point 41. below.
 
3. IMMEDIATE HALT FOR: 
  
31. Building of new summer logging roads; 
 
32. Logging on indigenous peoples' customary lands and
territories without their consent.
 
33. Drainage of peatlands.
 
4. MODIFICATION OF LOGGING PRACTICES, ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING 
PRINCIPLES: 
  
41. Representative reference sites of natural forests,
corresponding to forest use areas and including all relevant 
successional stages, must be identified, set aside, documented
and  fully protected. Where such sites are not available,
restoration must occur.
 
42. Forest use areas shall be managed to mimic natural or
natural-like forests in structure, function and dynamics. 
 
43. Independent monitoring and assessments of the impacts of
operations in the forest use area shall occur. Procedures for
regular review and, if needed, revision of management plans must 
be established to ensure progress towards points 41. and 42.
above. 
  
 
44.  Forest management should aim at restoring (= bringing back) 
natural dynamics and characteristics into managed forests, 
especially plantations. One of the most important restoration 
practice is fire. Hence, controlled forest fires should be 
introduced into forest management. 
  
45. Logging should aim at maintaining uneven-aged and 
structurally diverse forests.  No even-aged forests of one single 
species should be created.  Snags and other old-growth 
characteristics should be maintained and provisions for their
regeneration ensured in management operations. 
  
SIGNED ON TO BY: 
GREENPEACE FINLAND 
FINNISH NATURE LEAGUE