Archived press release

Last old forests being destroyed - companies named

21 February 1997

Friends of the Earth today named some of the leading publishing, manufacturing, retailing and forestry firms implicated in the destruction of the European Union's last old, natural forests. Products implicated include The Times, Tetra-pak milk cartons, Bodyform sanitary towels and Marie Claire magazine (see attached list).

Campaigners also gave examples of areas destroyed recently and named the forestry companies responsible (see attached map). These forestry companies are large suppliers of wood and paper to the UK.

Top people from the companies concerned heard at a special briefing today campaigner's demands for a moratorium on logging in old-growth forests in Sweden and Finland, or purchasing logs from such areas.

Speaking at the briefing, Swedish environmentalist Roger Olsson said:

"Known habitats for endangered species are destroyed every month. As a result of poor nature conservation policies and lack of clear commitments from all but a couple of forest companies and forest owners, old-growth forests are continuously being clear-cut, or threatened by clear-cutting."

On Wednesday (19 Feb), a new report detailing 105 key old-growth areas in Jokkmokk region of northern Sweden was launched in Stockholm. Ten years ago, environmentalists identified 400 important areas in this region. Despite appeals for their protection, around 100 of them have now been logged, and only two of the top 105 areas listed in the report are completely protected. Many are threatened with imminent logging.

Dr Georgina Green, Forests Campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said:

"UK firms are buying massive amounts of wood and paper from companies that are chopping their way through Europe's last old forests. If these big British spenders insist that their products are 'old-growth-free', then their Swedish and Finnish suppliers will have to listen."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Friends of the Earth also launched their new report today: Scandinavian forests and forest product companies, giving more details of forestry in Scandinavia and the companies involved.

[2] Over 1,700 forest-dependent species in Sweden and over 700 in Finland are listed as threatened. Many of these are dependent on old-growth forests, now reduced to less than 5% of the forest land (the remaining 95% has been converted to intensively-managed commercial forests, which are far less rich in plants and animals).

[3] Over 80 of Sweden's leading scientists have issued a statement saying:"The biodiversity of Sweden's forests is in crisis......Areas that ought to be preserved for future generations continue to be logged. The current rate at which such areas are being placed under protection is completely inadequate." Sweden's forest protection was also heavily criticised by their own parliamentary auditors last year, although the auditors' report was never published.

In Finland, the Finnish Environment Institute has said: "The present network of forest reserves is inadequate in most parts of Finland (excluding Forest Lapland) in maintaining the biodiversity of the forests". (Reserve network of forests in Finland and the need for developing the network - an ecological approach. Finnish Environment Institute, Nature and Land Use Division, May 1996.)

[4] National standards for forest certification under the Forest Stewardship Council are currently being developed in Sweden. However, the forest companies involved (with the exception of Assi-Doman), have not made any commitment to an old-growth moratorium,and they continue to log in, buy logs from, or plan to log, old-growth areas.

Friends of the Earth's Wild Woods! campaign
Scandinavian scandal briefing

PRODUCTS THAT COULD CONTAIN OLD-GROWTH

The following are just some examples of products using raw materials supplied by the forest companies logging in, or buying logs from, old-growth forests. It is by no means an exhaustive list.

PRODUCT COMPONENT SUPPLIER*

After Eight mints Packaging Stora

Milk / drink carton Tetra-pak packaging Korsnas, SCA, ENSO

Kellogs cornflakes Packaging SCA, Metsa-Serla

Marlboro cigarettes Packaging SCA

The Times Newspaper MoDo, ENSO

Telegraph Newspaper MoDo

Daily Express Newspaper MoDo, ENSO,
UPM-Kymmene

New Scientist Magazine paper UPM Kymmene

Marie Claire Magazine paper UPM Kymmene

Readers Digest Magazine paper UPM Kymmene

Penguin Popular classics Book cover Metsa-Serla

Bodyform Sanitary towels SCA

Niceday Everyday Copier
Niceday Select Copier
Plus Jet Photocopy paper ENSO

Data copy Photocopy paper MoDo

* From company literature or personnal communication. Some products or companies may use more than one supplier.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust