Sámi region faces timber sales crisis as cooperatives struggle to find buyers

In the Sámi region, forest owners are currently not generating additional income from timber. Veikko Porsanger, chairman of the Utsjoki cooperative forestry, stated that they have not been able to log for several years. This stagnation is due to the cooperative’s inability to sell timber to large forest companies. The Inari cooperative is also suffering from a halt in wood sales. Porsanger speculated that companies might fear accusations of old-growth forest logging, exacerbated by agreements like the one regarding the Muddusjärvi area, where the Muotkatunturi reindeer herding cooperative does not oppose logging.

Porsanger explained that there seems to be no conditions sufficient to satisfy potential buyers, who might be wary of reputational damage. Established in 1968, the Utsjoki cooperative manages forests located within the municipality of Inari, with 930 households as members. Porsanger mentioned that members have repeatedly requested financial support. They aim to provide payouts to members every three years and recently sold 900 hectares as a conservation area.

In recent years, the number of conservation areas in the Sámi region has increased to prevent logging in ancient forests. For instance, the Natural Heritage Foundation has acquired around 100 hectares of forest in Enontekiö and 42 hectares in Inari over the past few years. Additionally, Anglo American Sakatti Mining announced it had bought protected forests in Inari to compensate for ecological damages caused by mining activities.

The Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK) reported that there are 620,000 forest owners in Finland, meaning one in nine Finns owns land, with about 60% of Finland’s forests privately owned. The largest forest owner in Lapland is the state, managed by Metsähallitus. MTK has initiated collaboration with the Sámi Parliament to find a compromise regarding the use of forests in the Sámi region. Marko Mäki-Hakola, head of forestry, expressed that the aim is to advance matters cooperatively with Sámi stakeholders.

The Sámi Parliament believes that this collaboration will foster peace in the region’s forests. First Vice Chairman Leo Aikio emphasized the importance of aligning various livelihoods and their operational conditions, stating, “We need to seek solutions together that are suitable for everyone. All livelihoods are important, and we must collectively take responsibility for them.”