Archived press release

FINLAND AND SWEDEN TARGETED BY FOREST CAMPAIGNERS

19 October 1996

Over 80 Friends of the Earth local groups from all over the country will take to the streets today (19 October) to protest against the destruction of some of the last old natural forests in the European Union. Wood and paper from the threatened old-growth forests of Sweden and Finland is being supplied to UK consumers.

More than a third of the UK's paper and over 20% of its timber comes from the forests of Scandinavia, especially Finland and Sweden. Just 5% of the old natural forest remains in these countries - the rest has been converted to intensively managed forests or plantations where wildlife struggles to survive. Hundreds of species are at threat including the Brown Bear, Lynx, White-backed Woodpecker and Flying Squirrel [1]. The conversion of the old natural forests to intensive "factory forests" is driven by the insatiable and increasing demand for timber and paper [2].

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] There are 1,727 species of forest-living plant and animals listed as nationally endangered in Sweden, and 727 in Finland. These include Brown Bear, European Lynx,Flying Squirrel and the White-backed Woodpecker.

[2] Global demand for industrial wood and paper was 1.7 billion cubic metres a year in 1990. The UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation predict this will rise to 2.7 billion cubic metres a year by the year 2010, a rise of 58% in 20 years.

[3] Sweden has protected just 3.4% of its productive forest, 85% of which is in the mountainous region. In the south of the country the figure is 0.5%. Finland has protected 2.7% of its productive forest, but again, in the south of the country, this figure is just 0.5%.Many of the few remaining old-growth forests are without protection and are being, or are threatened with being, logged.

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Archived press release

FINLAND AND SWEDEN TARGETED BY FOREST CAMPAIGNERS

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