Energy company Napapiirin Energia ja Vesi Oy purchases wood from contested Värriö common forest in Salla

The energy company Napapiirin Energia ja Vesi Oy from Rovaniemi has purchased wood from the contested Värriö common forest in Salla. According to Greenpeace, timber has been transported from the Lampi-Kaakkurivaaran area, where high volumes of dead wood, measured at up to 30 cubic meters per hectare, and trees older than 200 years, have been recorded by specialists from the organization. This age is confirmed by open data from the Forest Center, indicating the presence of trees aged between 190 and 210 years, alongside observations of endangered species.

Concerns have been raised about the purchaser, as major forestry companies like Stora Enso have halted logging plans due to environmental values. Greenpeace has been monitoring wood transportation that left Lampi-Kaakkurivaaran last weekend, ending up at Neve Oy’s fuel terminal in Rovaniemi. Neve Oy confirmed that they bought wood from Värriö common forest, which will be used as fuel for their heating plant supplying district heating to the city.

Neve Oy’s CEO Kristian Gullsten stated that the company has a valid procurement agreement for fuel with the common forest, having purchased wood both early in the year and also at the end of 2023. He estimates that a few thousand cubic meters of wood have been sourced from Värriö.

Stora Enso halted logging at Lampi-Kaakkurivaaran in August after concerns were raised regarding potential violations of the PEFC certification requirements. The area still has 150 hectares of active logging notifications, with Greenpeace suspecting that energy companies could also be buyers, despite the withdrawal of larger firms.

Gullsten emphasized that Neve Oy adheres to the same certifications and regulations as forestry companies regarding sustainable logging. He expressed his awareness of ongoing discussions concerning the environmental status of the areas from which timber has been sourced.