PRESS RELEASE
"Forest Liars" Campaign Launches
Naming Names to End Ancient Forest Logging
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:
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."
###ENDS###
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
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