Documentary for TV 2 Denmark

From: Priit Luts Sent: Thursday, November 7, 2024 10:16 AM To: '[email protected]' <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Documentary for TV 2 Denmark Dear Ketil

The Estonian Fund for Nature (ELF) did not withdraw from FSC, but from the non-profit organization "Hea Metsanduse Koda", which has tried to create a national FSC standard in Estonia. RMK has had the FSC forest management and supply chain certificate since 2002 and the PEFC certificate since 2010. The basis for issuing the FSC certificate attributed to RMK is the temporary forest management certification standard of SCS. Based on this, the RMK forest management assessment is carried out every year, as a result of which the validity of the certificate is extended for another year. This means that the auditors monitor our activities, including received complaints, with a hawk's eye every year. Also, our activities are under constant supervision by Estonian Environment Agency. But now a few words about the nesting period of birds. In Estonia, forest work is not prohibited during the birds' nesting period, but a guide has been developed that the forest owner should follow if he still decides to undertake tree felling. Above all, it concerns private forest owners, because for more than 20 years RMK has been voluntarily maintaining a period of several months when no felling is done in the forest. And for the third year already, we took a break from logging two weeks longer than before - from April 15 until June 30. In this regard, RMK is also an example for many private forest owners. But these principles have an exception. It is known that Estonian forests have been plagued by the spruce bark beetle for several years in a row. You have probably heard or seen the devastation this forest pest has brought in Central Europe. We announced the two-week period of forest protection works (because the work during this time has proven to be effective in the fight against spruce bark beetle) in the press release, and your visit to the forest was at that time. Although we followed our previous practice of doing some sanitary logging in the immediate vicinity as part of forest protection work, we postponed any sanitary logging that could be postponed. We also exchanged information with Liis Kuresoo on this matter, and she thanked us for this decision. Priit Luts Riigimetsa Majandamise Keskus Media relations manager +372 5233014

Saatja: Kel Alstrup <[email protected]> Saatmisaeg: reede, 1. november 2024 07:59 Adressaat: RMK <[email protected]> Teema: Documentary for TV 2 Denmark

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Teema: Documentary for TV 2 Denmark

Dear RMK, I’m a journalist from TV 2 Denmark, and I am producing a documentary about Denmark’s import of wood pellets which we plan to publish on the 4th of December. The title is ‘Burning deception’. The publication date might change, and in that case we will inform you. I hereby submit to you what will appear in the program and/or other news coverage about RMK. We will explain that RMK is a major supplier of wood for Graanul. We will also state that all RMK managed forests in Estonia are FSC certified – including the two areas mentioned below. We were in Estonia in June and filmed in a forest that is managed by RMK and was logged a few years ago. It’s the area shown here – QT062:

We have visited this forest near Mäksa in Estonia with Liis Kuresoo from the Estonian Fund for Nature. It is a forest that according to the Estonian fund for Nature, is mapped as a woodland key habitat and home to protected species, and is protected under the FSC certification, and yet it was clear-cut a few years ago. She states that logging was a contributing event to the Estonian Fund for Nature withdrawing form the FSC in December 2023. During our interview with Liis Kuresoo in the above mentioned forest, we heard an ongoing logging nearby. We went there and filmed the logging going on. It was on the 6th of June, and it was in the adjacent forest area with a triangle shape on the picture above – and shown with a grey marker on this satellite map below: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AzBQh4X3nKpGcRT38

Ms. Kuresoo explains that since it was during nesting season a logging shouldn’t be going on according to the rules, because birds would likely die during the logging. In her opinion it was illegal to log these trees on this day. She contacted the authorities to report the logging while it was still ongoing. We have been informed by the Environmental Board of Estonia (Keskkonnaamet) that later the same day, due to the report from Liis Kuresoo, RMK decided to stop the logging in that exact area and in other nearby forests. If you have comments or questions regarding the above submission, you are welcome to contact me. Mange hilsner KETIL ALSTRUP Redaktør TV 2 Dokumentar TV 2 Teglholm Allé 16 2450 København SV Mobil: +45 30 10 00 10