The Minister of Transport and Communications Kimmo Sasi's (National Coalition) suggestion to remove the flying squirrel from the EU's list of protected animals has upset Finnish environmentalists.

   

In Sasi's opinion the flying squirrel is no longer a rare species in Finland and needs therefore no more protection. He argues that the present flying squirrel protection programme can increase the costs of different construction projects in Southern Finland by up to 20 percent.

   

In Monday's issue of the daily Valkeakosken Sanomat, Sasi called for restrictions in the next government programme to complaints based on environmental grounds. Such complaints can put different kinds of construction projects on hold for years.

   

"Then we might as well let them cut down all the Brazilian rain forests too, and kill all the whales", says the Chairman of the Inland Nature Conversation Society of Southwestern Finland Jouko Alhainen, who has actively participated in protecting the flying squirrel in the Koninkallio area near the city of Forssa.

According to Alhainen

the flying squirrel is an intrinsic indicator species of the state of environmental protection in Finland. The flying squirrel is protected by environmental legislation, and is one of the specifically protected rare species in the EU.

   

Tapio Veistola of the Finnish Association for Nature Conversation says this is not the first time in history that politicians have tried to remove the flying squirrel from the protection lists.

   

In the EU the Finns have already tried that, but in order to succeed they would have to get the consent of all the EU member states. Veistola believes the international nature conservation organisations will always find at least one country to block the attempt.

Veistola also believes

the EU directives will not be altered until the Natura 2000 programme has been completed and implemented.

   

"Should some species be removed from the lists now, the member states might use the alteration as an excuse to stall the completion of the programme", Veistola explains.

   

The Natura 2000 programme should be completed next year, but the tending and implementation plans will take another six to seven years to be finished.

   

In recent follow-up studies the flying squirrel population has been on a 20 - 38 % decline in Finland.

   

The local population figures are not really that important, for the endangered species are defined by global population trends.

Director of Nature Conversation Ilkka Heikkinen

from the Ministry of the Environment says the flying squirrel, together with 40 other species, is heavily protected by the EU's nature directives.

   

"We should find out if this annex could be altered at all. Since it binds all the EU member states, this won't be simple", Heikkinen comments.

   

According to Heikkinen there is contradictory information as to how large or small the flying squirrel populations really are. Nevertheless, the flying squirrel has not really hindered or prevented any building projects. The animal resides in relatively small areas, which can easily be bypassed.

   

The flying squirrel has been used in quite a few complaints against different kinds of construction projects. This has slowed down projects and caused the EU to intensify its supervision procedures in Finland.