Company halts logging in Finland after death of endangered mussels

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A Finnish-Swedish forestry group said Monday it has halted part of its logging operations in Finland after an incident that killed thousands of endangered freshwater pearl mussels.

A protected species in Finland since 1955 and found only in about a hundred streams and rivers in the country, the freshwater pearl mussel can live up to 200 years and depends on clear, running water for its survival.

Part of their habitat was destroyed and thousands of mussels died on August 15, when forestry machines transporting timber between sites owned by forestry company Stora Enso crossed the shallow, protected Hukkajoki stream in eastern Finland.

Police said last week they were investigating the incident.

The company announced on Monday that it had launched several measures, including “suspension of harvesting in all areas of Finland where restrictions are imposed under the Water Act, the Forest Act or the Nature Conservation Act.”

“Harvesting has been suspended until operational guidelines, harvest plans and risks associated with these sites have been reassessed,” Stora Enso said in a press release.

“Any non-compliance that may be detected will be assessed in cooperation with the authorities.”

The incident is being investigated as a serious breach of nature protection and has sparked public outcry in Finland.

Greenpeace Finland on Monday criticised Stora Enso and the forestry industry in general for failing to adequately address environmental concerns in their operations, saying the case was not isolated but only the “tip of the iceberg”.

“Logging is carried out everywhere without adequate information and guidance, including in areas protected by law,” the group said in a statement.

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