Metsähallitus fells unregistered marked tree in Suomussalmi

Metsähallitus felled an old marked tree during logging in Suomussalmi, although it may qualify as an ancient monument. The tree was not listed in the national ancient monument register, Yle reports.

Archaeologist Jouni Väänänen of the Kainuu Museum said the tree had human-made markings. Photos show a cross carved into it. Marked trees can also bear dates or initials, he said.

Väänänen said the tree was not in the register because no archaeological survey had been conducted at the location. Local people may have known about it, but the information had not reached the museum. Suomen Luonto magazine, which first reported the felling, said the tree may have been several hundred years old.

Vesa Hyyryläinen, chair of the Kainuu Nature Conservation District, said the oldest trees in the logged forest were hundreds of years old and described the forest as a boreal natural forest. The district considers such forest worthy of protection, while Metsähallitus says the area is neither natural nor old forest.

The conservation district said it contacted Metsähallitus after learning about the logging and asked the agency to stop the work. A district board member later found the felled marked tree at the logging site. The district contacted Metsähallitus again, but the logging was not stopped.

Kalle Eerikäinen, regional director for Metsähallitus Metsätalous Oy in Pohjanmaa and Kainuu, said the tree had not been identified during planning and was not listed in any official register. He said the site had been planned according to the agency’s guidelines and checked for legally protected features.

After receiving a report from a private individual, Metsähallitus revisited the site. Eerikäinen said two people inspected it but found no further marked trees or similar features. He said old individual trees are generally left standing as retention trees and called the felling regrettable if the tree was a marked tree.

Hyyryläinen said he had filed a request for a police investigation as a private individual over the felling. Väänänen said he could not yet say whether other unregistered marked trees were in the area, as the museum had not visited it.