PEFC-certified old-growth forest logging in Finland, September - November 2003

Kessi, Inari

Logging by Finnish governmental forestry enterprise Metsähallitus in the homeland of indigenous Sami people in northernmost Finland. Photographs below in this page are from forests of Kantojärvi in Kessi-area, an old-growth forest area important for the reindeer herding livelihood. Biggest wood buyers of Metsahallitus in region are M-Real and StoraEnso.

Logging in Kessi is opposed by the reindeer herders, whose reindeer herding livelihood is largely dependent on natural pastures, ie free grazing in the forests. Metsähallitus has continued large scale loggings and road construction in Kessi wilderness despite the uninterrupted opposition of the local reindeer herders (Paatsjoki reindeer herding co-operative). Metsähallitus seems to have no real will to take reindeer herding into account in the area.

Metsähallitus has refused to negotiate with the reindeer herding co-operative, although Metsähallitus is obliged to do so according to Finnish Reindeer Herding Act.

When the loggings in the Kessi area ustarted in the spring of 2002, not only the opposition to all loggings and road contruction in the area was disregarded but also a much easier demand was not regarded. The herders wanted that the irreplaceable lichen cover of this crucial winter pasture area for reindeer would be saved as far as possible and therefore demanded that there would be no loggins during the snow-free summer and autumn time. They were not heard and the operations have been going on through all seasons up to this summer when the loggings are still again going on in lichen areas.

The area being logged in September 2003 was visited with Finnish NGOs and Stora Enso on September 17.

>>> Logging plan in Kessi wilderness forests 2004
>>> background materials on reindeer herding and forestry