Mr. Christer Segerstéen, the President of the Confederation of European Forest Owners, questions recent Nordic environmental NGOs’ criticism on Nordic/Baltic forestry in the context of the development of the new Estonian Forest Act. Mr. Segerstéen states that the sustainability of Nordic forestry has been confirmed by several official intergovernmental bodies thus ensuring that the developments in Estonia will create a suitable framework for sustainable forest management according to international standards. The Nordic forestry model has been proven sustainable for generations, delivering sustainable raw material, biodiversity and economic as well as social welfare for the Nordic societies.
Mr. Segerstéen herewith responds to the environmental organizations’ public letter to the Estonian Government and Parliament, dated 5th May 2008. In this letter the organizations expressed their concerns on unsustainable forest management practices to be implemented in Estonia. However, according to Mr. Segerstéen, a simple checking of the facts leads to a totally different conclusion.
The Nordic and Baltic region of Europe is not only the most densely forested part of Europe; it also has a long-standing tradition of sustainable forest management. Quite logical, if one comes to think of it, because for many generations, Nordic and Baltic people have depended on the forest for their livelihood. It is thanks to their care that Northern Europe has such vast forest resources today.
Most recently, successful Nordic and Baltic sustainable forest management was re-acknowledged once again in the 2007 report on the “The State of Europe’s Forests”, issued by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, the United Nations Economic Council for Europe, and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization.
The report reconfirmed that in the Nordic/Baltic region the area of forest and of other wooded land is growing as is forest growing stock. In addition, the area of protected forest is still increasing as well.
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