13th January, 2000
This Thursday Finnish conservation and animal welfare NGOs (non-governmental organisations) are to initiate a campaign against forest logging in summer.
Summer logging damages and disturbs forests, destroying nests and young of birds and other animals. The campaign's goal is a moratorium on logging during the key period of reproduction in northern Europe, 15th April 31st July.
In summer logging machines also damage vegetation and surface soils. Trees suffer root and trunk damage facilitating easy spreading of fungal diseases, which cause tens of millions of Euros' worth of damage annually.
NGOs feel that setting aside the key period of animal reproduction from logging would be a fine gesture from the forest industry sector, showing a desire to conserve biodiversity and protect the life of our forests.
The campaign is being organised by The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (Suomen luonnonsuojeluliitto), BirdLife Finland, The Association for Sustainable Forestry (Ekometsätalouden liitto), The Association for Animal Welfare Animalia (Eläinsuojeluliitto Animalia), The Nature League (Luonto-Liitto), Friends of the Earth Finland (Maan ystävät), Nature and the Environment (Natur och Miljö), Finnish Society for the Protection of Animals (Suomen Eläinsuojeluyhdistys) and WWF-Finland. The initiative for the campaign was spearheaded by The Pirkanmaa Regional Society for Conservation and The Pirkanmaa Ornithological Society.
Up to the end of April, citizens may sign an appeal on behalf of the campaign. The appeal can also be joined through the internet at www.sll.fi/kesahakkuu
For more information please contact:
- Director-General Esko Joutsamo (The Finnish Association for
Nature Conservation), Tel. (+358 9) 22 80 82 08; joutsamo@sll.fi
- Campaign head Hanna Savisaari (The Finnish Association for Nature
Conservation, Pirkanmaa Regional Society), Tel. (+358 40) 734
8507
- The internet: http://arkisto.sll.fi/kesahakkuu