People took part in a clean-up effort in Hukkajoki River in Suomussalmi, Kainuu, on 23 August 2024. A forest machine is estimated to have driven across the rivulet hundreds of times, causing the water to silt up and suffocating thousands of endangered freshwater pearl mussels. (Hannu Huttu – Str / Lehtikuva)
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STORA ENSO on Monday communicated that it has suspended wood harvesting at a number of sites in Finland.
The suspension applies to all sites subjected to operational restrictions under the water, forest or nature conservation acts, and will last until the paper and pulp manufacturer has re-evaluated the operational instructions, harvesting plans and risks related to the sites.
Ingrid Peura, the director of public affairs at Stora Enso, told YLE that the suspensions apply to a few dozen sites, representing a small proportion of the roughly 20,000 sites the company harvests annually.
Stora Enso also said it has started providing additional training on environmental policy and guidelines to its employees, contractors and subcontractors, in an attempt to enhance compliance with environmental guidelines. A third party will additionally conduct a comprehensive audit of its processes for planning, implementing and controlling wood procurement.
The announcement came after widespread reporting about environmental damage caused by a forest machine serving a logging site in Suomussalmi, Kainuu. The machine was driven across a river hundreds of times, in violation of instructions provided by authorities, causing the river to silt up and killing thousands of endangered freshwater pearl mussels.
The incident is being investigated as aggravated environmental protection offence.
Metsähallitus, the special-purpose company managing state-owned forests in Finland, has led an effort to carry thousands of suffocating mussels upstream and rehabilitate the habitat.
“Stora Enso bears its responsibility both financially and environmentally. It is clear that we will pay the costs of the ongoing restoration. We want to thank Metsähallitus and the researchers for the work that has been done on the river so far,” Hans Sohlström, CEO of Stora Enso, said in a press release on Monday.
Minister of Climate and the Environment Kai Mykkänen (NCP) stated to YLE on Monday revealed that he will initiate an effort to explore measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in future. The possibilities, he added, could include ramping up criminal penalties or expanding the definition of environmental harm.
He described the incident as exceptionally egregious.
“Anyone can tell from the photos that the creek can’t handle an incident like that,” he commented on YLE A-studio.
Jani Mäkelä, the chairperson of the Finns Party Parliamentary Group, viewed on Sunday that Finnish media has gone too far in reporting about the deaths of the freshwater pearl mussels in Suomussalmi. Although the “unfortunate and regrettable” incident warrants an investigation, he said, it does not warrant days-long comprehensive media coverage.
“Of course you have to report on it, but is it the number-one topic for several days?” he asked in an interview with Helsingin Sanomat.
Mäkelä claimed that the incident has been hijacked by people who were already critical of the forest industry in order to cast the entire industry in a bad light with the help of the media reporting.
“Now we’re starting to uncover the motives for fomenting the overblown outrage. In reality there’s a desire to criticise the forest industry. The mussels are only a tool to reach the goal,” he wrote in a social media post that referred to a story by YLE.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
