Finns contest “worst” sustainable forestry record claim

A Finnish forests executive has dismissed an environmental group’s report which listed Finland as having the world’s worst sustainable forestry management record.

The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation said Sweden was the second worst. The group’s press statement was apparently based on a study by a Swedish professor, looking at the volume of retention trees left standing in connection with regeneration fellings in each country.

Finland is described as retaining around 1% of all trees felled, with Sweden managing 3-5%.

But communications co-ordinator at the Finnish Forests Association Hannes Mantyranta said he had never seen such weak arguments in a report.

He said retention levels were quoted in Tasmania (30%) and North America (15%), when neither was a country.

“In other words, the figures given for Sweden and Finland represent averages, which are then compared to some parts of some other countries,” he said.

“What would have been the result if the best regions in the Nordic countries had been chosen and compared to the average of, say, North America? With methods like this, anything could be proved.
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He questioned why researchers communicated their results so selectively and why the information was given to the environmental group.

To see Mr Mantyranta’s full response to the report click here

To see the articles of SSNC click here...