PRESS RELEASE
By Ecological Internet, Inc.
http://www.rainforestportal.org/ &
http://www.climateark.org/ March 9, 2008
(Earth) - Ecological Internet's campaign to end ancient forest logging as a keystone response to the climate change and biodiversity crises intensified this past week. Over one thousand people from 57 countries sent a third of a million protest emails to staff members of large environmental groups, protesting their fiction that killing centuries old trees in ancient forests is environmentally sound and well-managed forestry. The alert remains current and can be found at:
http://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=fsc_forest_liars
Greenpeace, WWF, Rainforest Action Network, NRDC, Forest Ethics, Friends of the Earth and Rainforest Alliance were called upon to immediately end their support for the Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) greenwashing of first time logging of primary and old-growth forests -- or face continuing protest. The protest contained detailed ecological analysis debunking claims that logging ancient rainforests has environmental merit.
FSC issues "certifications" that allegedly show ancient forest logging is "well-managed", legitimizing the destruction forever, by themselves and others, of hundreds of millions of hectares of primary rainforest. At least sixty percent of FSC timbers come from first time industrial logging of ancient forests, and their current market demand and planned growth depends upon it. Claims that FSC certified old-growth logging protects biodiversity and ecosystems have increasingly been called into question by new ecological science, lax certifying organizations' conflicts of interest and a litany of questionable certifications.
Outrageously now the "Forests Liars" -- FSC with the endorsement of member NGOs -- claim certified logging of primary forests has carbon benefits and deserves to be compensated in the carbon market. Despite no mention of carbon balances in FSC rules, logging companies and carbon offset projects are claiming FSC certification makes them "carbon positive".
"After nearly a decade of protesting leading environmental organizations' greenwashing of continued old-growth logging, and being resoundingly ignored, we have no choice but to pursue more aggressive protest options. To date we have received no substantive rebuttal to our critique that there is no such thing as ecologically sustainable ancient forest logging; that FSC destroys biodiversity, ecosystems and the climate, and by its very existence legitimizes continued industrial development of ancient rainforests. They should know better and admit they are wrong rather than resorting to spin and vilification [1]. "
"No one is ever very happy to be protested against, particularly when the morality of their livelihoods is questioned and there is minor disruption of daily routines [2]. Those receiving protests are staff members of organizations greenwashing the logging of ancient forests, falsely claiming it protects biodiversity and the climate. Ecological Internet's network will continue speaking ecological truth to power. The loss of large, intact natural habitats including primary rainforests is the main reason the biosphere is failing, and those apologists causing the loss will not go unchallenged."
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1.) Friends of the Earth International sent a strongly worded response to protesters saying they "oppose all allegation made" and are not FSC supporters. The alert text and protest email correctly referred to the Friends of the Earth movement and nowhere was FOE-International named. They did confirm that many Friends of the Earth national groups are FSC members.
A disgruntled Rainforest Action Network employee questioned the targeting of staff members in organizations supporting FSC that do not directly work on the matter, and dismissed the alert as an attempt to create controversy. One would presume all employees of the RAINFOREST Action Network care about the fate of ancient rainforests (although perhaps not, given their absence on most current rainforest issues). All employees working for ancient forest logging apologists are fair target for protest.
2.) All Ecological Internet protest network participants should remember when assessing ad hominem responses that for many years these organizations have been telling their members and the public that 'FSC is the answer to the world's forest problems'. It is exceedingly difficult for them to admit they are wrong and move on forest policies that work to end industrial forest logging and support local development based upon standing forests. They are wrong and know it, but are proud and more concerned with maintaining their environmental bureaucracies than the truth. Please continue to participate:
http://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=fsc_forest_liars
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=ancient+forest
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=logging
