Metsähallitus pauses logging after activists intervene in Pieksämäki

Metsähallitus has paused logging around Kukkarojärvi in Pieksämäki after activists halted work, Yle reports. The pause will last at least while the area is surveyed for endangered species.

Activists from the Forest Movement and Extinction Rebellion stopped the work on Monday, the first day of logging on a 25-hectare area. Forestry machines resumed work on Tuesday, and activists intervened again.

The logging began near Kukkarojärvi, about four kilometres from Pieksämäki town centre, beside the Tahinsuo nature reserve. A popular hiking trail runs through the area, where the forest is mainly pine.

Jouko Haatainen, a regional manager at Metsätalous Oy, which is owned by Metsähallitus, said the logging was now on hold. He said it was unusual for activist intervention to stop logging in eastern Finland. The next step is to assess whether endangered species are present, with environmental group activists and Metsähallitus species experts carrying out surveys.

Previous surveys by Metsähallitus found the endangered lichen species jauheneulajäkälä and salonyppyjäkälä at Kukkaroniemi. Haatainen said they grow outside the logging area and would not be directly affected by the planned work.

Ari Aalto, project coordinator for the Luonnonmetsä working group of forestry and nature professionals, said the area is a notably more natural pine forest than its surroundings and meets the criteria of the METSO programme. Under the programme, the state pays private forest owners to protect their forests voluntarily. The working group says the state should also protect its own forests to combat biodiversity loss.

The Forest Movement wants the entire Kukkarojärvi area protected. Its representative Elina Ilves said logging would fragment the area and weaken its nature values. She described it as a large, valuable, connected natural area by southern Finnish standards because it adjoins the existing nature reserve.