From grbarry@students.wisc.edu Tue Aug 1 10:02:44 2000 Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2000 18:13:45 -0500 From: Glen R. BarrySubject: BIOD: Renewed Drive to Fight Illegal Logging Continues *********************************************** WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS Renewed Drive to Fight Illegal Logging Continues *********************************************** Forest Networking a Project of Forests.org, Inc. http://forests.org/ -- Forest Conservation Archives http://forests.org/web/ -- Discuss Forest Conservation 07/26/00 OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY In the face of continued pressure from Greenpeace and others, the G8 announced at the end of their summit that they support sustainable forest management and intend to "combat illegal logging and protect the eco-system". Given the lack of action following similar pledges in the past, this is unlikely to have an immediate significant impact, but at least the issue continues to gain prominence. Meanwhile, Greenpeace brought their hard-hitting campaign to highlight consumption of illegally harvested timber to the United States. A Danish ship docked in Savannah, Georgia was boarded in protest of illegal harvesting of timber from the Amazon rain forest. The ship carried plywood from a Malaysian trading company that has been found in possession of illegal timber. A recent Greenpeace study uncovered hard evidence that many companies who regularly export timber to the U.S. and elsewhere are implicated in the illegal timber trade, including the Rimbunan Hijau group, one of the world's top rainforest destroyers. In related news, the damning report about the destruction of tropical forests by multinational companies, that was suppressed and then recently released in a slightly sanitized form, is now available in its original version on the Internet. The German rainforest group Rettet den Regenwald ( regenwald@umwelt.ecolink.org ) has released the original which contains names and facts about companies responsible for corrupt predatory logging. Please check it out at: http://www.umwelt.org/regenwald/JointReport.pdf. With the recent flurry of hard documentation and non-violent direct action, I sense momentum building within the rainforest conservation movement, and expect that shortly predatory logging of ancient forests will be only a shameful memory. g.b. ******************************* RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE: ITEM #1 Title: G8 summit: New drive to fight illegal logging Source: The Guardian, Copyright 2000 Date: July 24, 2000 Leaders of the world's most powerful nations moved yesterday to tighten up the $70bn global timber trade in a renewed drive to combat illegal logging and protect the eco-system, writes Jonathan Watts. The G8 endorsed the need for sustainable forest management when they pledged in a final communiqu,: 'We will examine how best we can combat illegal logging, including export and procurement practices.' Environmentalists welcomed the fresh impetus for the campaign to conserve the world's ancient forests, being depleted at the rate of one football pitch every two seconds. The G8 consume 74% of the world's forestry product exports, but they have been criticised for paying too little attention to where their timber comes from. In Brazil, the government says illegal logging operations account for 80% of the trees chopped down in the Amazon rainforest. But loose regulations and poor oversight make it almost impossible to assess whether a log has been obtained from a sustainable source or from ecologically precious forests. Under a British initiative, the governments of the G8 agreed yesterday to set an example by considering ways to ensure that public purchases of timber come from approved businesses, such as those certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council. By also promising to look into export practices, the G8 took a step further on the logging issue than in previous summits. However, Canada, the main timber exporter among the group, and Japan, the main importer, remain reluctant to establish a new system of rules. Conservationists welcomed the G8 move, but they said the words would have to be backed up by actions if they were not to suffer the fate of initiatives made at the Birmingham summit two years ago, which have made little progress. 'This is a welcome shift of direction,' said Martin Kaizer of Greenpeace. 'We are very happy that procurement practices have been mentioned, but now we must watch carefully to ensure that this plan is implemented.' During the summit, four Greenpeace activists were arrested and the group's ship - the Rainbow Warrior - was raided by riot police after they tried to deliver eight logs to the G8 leaders. ITEM #2 Title: Timber protesters arrested Source: Copyright 2000, United Press International Date: July 25, 2000 Seven Greenpeace activists faced charges today after some of them boarded a Danish ship at a private dock in Savannah, Georgia, to protest the illegal harvesting of timber in the Amazon rain forest. The arrests occurred after two women and three men boarded the Danish- flagged ship CIC Light at the Georgia Steamship dock on Monday to prevent importation of timber from South America. All seven were charged with trespassing, and three of them were released on $350 bond. The Immigration and Naturalization Service detained four nationals from Germany, Belgium and Britain for possible deportation, Greenpeace said. Five of the activists tied themselves to the ship with ropes and unfurled a banner that read "Stop Illegal Logging." Two of the protesters fell into the water when crew members cut their ropes. There were no injuries. Chatham County sheriff's officials and the U.S. Coast Guard arrested the five who had boarded the ship, a man who had driven the group onto Georgia Steamship property and a British man who piloted a safety boat. Greenpeace said the ship had arrived from a Brazilian port and was carrying plywood from a Malaysian trading company that has been fined by Brazil in the past for possession of illegal timber. "Every week, criminal timber is being shipped into the U.S. from around the world. The U.S. government promised to tackle the illegal timber trade and is simply turning a blind eye to this flourishing market," Greenpeace activist Scott Paul said. The ship's commercial agent, Kevin Russom, said the cargo was legal. He said wood products headed for the CIC Light have frequently been inspected by Brazilian environmental authorities. "This lumber that's loaded on our ship has gone through two different Brazilian organizations. One is their forestry association and the other is their customs group. All the documents are checked out before the lumber is ready to load," Russom said. Greenpeace has stepped up its timber protests in connection with the recent Group of Eight meeting in Japan, complaining that governments have not taken action promised at the 1997 summit of the G-8. ITEM #3 Title: CREW REACTS VIOLENTLY TO CRIMINAL TIMBER PROTEST Two activists drop from bow, seven arrested. Source: Greenpeace PressAlert Date: July 24, 2000 SAVANNAH, GA, July 24, 2000- Seven Greenpeace activists were arrested after five members of their group boarded the Danish vessel CIC Light to spotlight the shipping of criminal timber from the Amazon rainforest. The ship's crew reacted suddenly and violently upon spotting the activists. Two activists were unfurling a large banner which was snatched away. Two other activists' ropes were cut as they attempted to climb aboard the ship. The activists plunged from the side into the water where they were subsequently rescued by Greenpeace activists in an inflatable boat. Three activists, Veronica Froelich from the U.S., Heike Staudigl from Germany, and Paul Goyvaerts from Belgium, remained on board. All three carried smaller banners. "This reaction is only a symptom of the violence that pervades the global illegal timber trade," said Scott Paul, Greenpeace Forest Campaigner. "Every week criminal timber is being shipped into the U.S. from around the world. The U.S. Government promised to tackle the illegal timber trade, and is simply turning a blind eye to this flourishing market." Police officers boarded the ship and arrested the three activists who remained onboard the ship. The two activists who were dropped into the water, Christian Jonuschies from Germany and Jim Klein from the U.S., eventually boarded the ship and remained roped to the bow until they were taken into custody by the U.S. Coast Guard. The drivers of the safety boat and the van, James Mitchell and Dexter Sumner, were also arrested. All were arrested by the Chatham County Sheriff's department on a simple misdemeanor trespass charge. A recent Greenpeace 18-month investigation in remote regions of the Amazon uncovered hard evidence that several companies who regularly export timber to the U.S. are implicated in the illegal timber trade including the Rimbunan Hijau group, one of the world's top rainforest destroyers. The Brazilian Government estimates that 80% of all logging in the Brazilian Amazon is illegal. This Greenpeace action is the latest in a series of global protests to protect the Earth's last remaining ancient forests. In the past weeks, Greenpeace activists around the world have exposed criminal timber imports into G8 countries. CONTACT: Scott Paul, (202) 256-0676 (cell); Carol Gregory, (202) 256-4041 (cell); Aaron Bannon (202) 319- 2432; or visit the Greenpeace website, www.greenpeaceusa.org ###RELAYED TEXT ENDS### This document is a PHOTOCOPY for educational, personal and non- commercial use only. Recipients should seek permission from the source for reprinting. All efforts are made to provide accurate, timely pieces; though ultimate responsibility for verifying all information rests with the reader. Check out our Gaia's Forest Conservation Archives & Portal at URL= http://forests.org/ Networked by Forests.org, Inc., grbarry@students.wisc.edu