L-11. Siikalamminpalo, Rovaniemi mlk

Finding: forestry operations allowed in an old-growth forest

Windthrows were taken away in the summer of 2000. The area is a natural-like, post-fire forest. The forest has been classified in the FPS inventories as valuable old-growth forest.

The site is a so-called A-site, that was supposed to be protected in the landscape ecological planning of the FPS. However, only half of the site will be protected in the landscape ecological plan.

The natural structure of the forest was disturbed by taking away the windthrows. The fallen trees also included large, rotten birches, which are important for biodiversity.

Source of information: Field trip, information given by FPS

Probable buyer of the wood: StoraEnso

Windthrows are important to several threatened and endangered species that require decaying wood. The amount of decaying wood in Finnish forests has been estimated to have decreased by as much as 90 % after the forests have lost their natural state.

NEXT: L-12. Aihkipetsi, Salla

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