Media

The minister invites researchers to discuss forestry and the protection of forests

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Publication date 22.2.2007 8.51
Press release -

In the opinion of the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Juha Korkeaoja, the Finnish researchers’ Forest Address targets the wrong issue and hinders Finland’s reputation as a country of sustainable forestry development for no reason. In the beginning of February, the minister received an open letter from Finnish researchers regarding the conservation of forests in their natural state. Korkeaoja invites the researchers to discuss with him the protection of forests in their natural state and the forest economy of state-owned lands in Forest Lapland. The meeting is arranged to take place on March 9th.

Of the forests in Forest Lapland, approximately half are closely protected, and only about a fourth of Lapland’s forests are being used for forestry. According to the Ministry of the Environment the conservation areas in Lapland are cohesive and cover different nature types. Finland’s vast wooded wilderness areas are protected through extensive conservation programmes and thanks to the decisions taken by Metsähallitus.

According to Korkeaoja, the most important developmental needs are not in Lapland but rather in southern Finland. The continuation of the METSO programme will be determined this year. Korkeaoja states that in terms of democracy, it is not just that researchers propose additional conservation measures for a single province whose area is mostly protected and whose inhabitants want to earn their livelihood also from forestry. Bearing in mind the vast areas of the region, it is fully possible if desired to reconcile different livelihoods with the ecological perspective in Lapland.

Additional information from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry:
Special Adviser Jouni Lind, tel. + 358 (9) 160 533 02, +358 50 521 3305
Director-General Aarne Reunala, tel. +358 (9) 160 53350, +358 40 043 7222
Juha Korkeaoja