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PRESS RELEASE

Rainforest Action Network Defends Support for Old-Growth Logging

RAN indicates industrial first time logging of centuries old trees in primeval forests the best that can be expected, censors further discussion on their web site, and faces renewed global call for members to cancel until withdraws from FSC

April 1, 2008 By Ecological Internet, Inc. Dr. Glen Barry, +1 920 776 1075, glenbarry@ecointernet.org

After six months of evasions and personal recriminations, Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has officially answered the question "how does Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified logging of primary and old-growth forests 'protect endangered forests'"? RAN has been the target of protest by thousands of forest conservationists from eighty countries concerned with how RAN's support for FSC legitimizes continued loss of ancient forests, their biodiversity and the climate. This is there answer:

"Simply, FSC certification isn’t the ultimate protection for endangered forests, but it is a vastly superior alternative to standard industrial logging. In forests that would otherwise be logged without third party oversight, FSC promotes practices that preserve ecosystem functions (like habitat and water quality) and safeguards the most ecologically valuable areas." -- RAN statement, 4/1/08.

Sadly, RAN provided an answer to this sincere, straight- forward question only after continued prodding and denigrating protestors as "attention seekers" and "flame bait". Ecological Internet had to resort to questioning their webmaster to get a preliminary response, since confirmed, and has now been notified further discussions on their web site will be censored.

Certified logging of primary forests has gained in prominence given the role ancient forest loss and diminishment plays in climate change. Many long-time destroyers of rainforests including FSC, the World Bank and renowned renegade logger Rimbunan Hijau of Papua New Guinea now suggest that industrial selective logging of ancient forests is good for the climate. New initiatives including avoided deforestation payments are proposed to marketize and profit from rainforest ecosystem services, yet most are mute regarding the acceptability of continued industrial logging in newly "protected" areas.

Notably absent from RAN's statement is any scientific evidence or quantification of FSC being "vastly superior". They fail to acknowledge conflicts of interests by certifiers and the slew of problematic certifications. There is no detailed strategic analysis by RAN showing that the benefits from FSC logging will in the long term result in more rainforests being protected, in comparison to working to end all such logging now. For years RAN has even suggested first time industrial logging of primary and old-growth forests is "sustainable".

Dr. Barry, EI's President, explains: "a more careful reading of recent advances is conservation biology and climatology would show the importance of maintaining ancient forest in an intact, unfragmented condition as the keystone response to protecting biodiversity and climate. All indications are the Earth has surpassed the amount of intact terrestrial ecosystems that can be lost and still maintain the biosphere. If this is indeed the case, all efforts to reform logging to make it a bit better are meaningless. Ancient forest logging must end."

Ecological Internet calls upon Rainforest Action Network to withdraw from FSC, ending their involvement in the destruction of the Earth's last primary rainforests and the climate. By doing so, they join the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, which has recently done so, and Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which has announced they no longer standby FSC and are reviewing their membership.

It is simply unacceptable that America's largest recipient of rainforest protection monies continues to support heavy industrial logging of ancient rainforests. If RAN does not withdraw from FSC, they can expect long, sustained protest including web sites urging members to cancel their support, and physical protests at their events. Sadly, this is necessary to put the RAINFOREST back in the action network.

### ENDS ###

For media interviews and additional information contact: Dr. Glen Barry President Ecological Internet, Inc. P.O. Box 433 Denmark, WI 54208, USA GlenBarry@EcologicalInternet.org
+1 920 776 1075 phone

Ecological Internet's projects include: EcoEarth.Info -- https://www.EcoEarth.Info/ Climate Ark -- https://www.climateark.org/ Forests.org -- https://forests.org/ Water Conserve -- https://www.waterconserve.org/ Rainforest Portal -- https://www.rainforestportal.org/ Ocean Conserve -- https://www.oceanconserve.org/ My.EcoEarth.Info -- https://My.EcoEarth.info/



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Der Internationale Tag des Waldes am 21. März gedenkt bereits seit 30 Jahren der globalen Waldvernichtung. Trotzdem ist dieser wichtige Umwelttag in der Öffentlichkeit kaum bekannt. Dabei ist seine Botschaft – die weltweite Waldzerstörung zu stoppen – heute aktueller denn je: Jedes Jahr werden weltw...

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Aus Anlass des Tag des Baumes zieht die Volksrepublik Bilanz ihrer Aufforstungskampagne.

https://www.heise.de/tp/blogs/2/104952

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Plant trees, lots of them, you can never plant enough!
https://freepage.twoday.net/stories/3515163/

PRESS RELEASE

By Ecological Internet, Inc. https://www.rainforestportal.org/ & https://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:

https://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:

https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=fsc_forest_liars



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ACTION ALERT UPDATE

PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!

Rainforest Portal a project of Ecological Internet https://www.rainforestportal.org/ March 5, 2008

TAKE ACTION Outrageous support by big environmental groups for first-time industrial logging of primary and old-growth rainforest wildernesses based upon vague claims that FSC certification makes it sustainable, well-managed and now even "carbon positive" is a big lie and must end

https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=fsc_forest_liars

Many of the world's largest environmental groups continue to support Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) "certified" industrial logging of the world's last primary and old-growth forests. They have fallen for, and now espouse, the big lie that first time logging of ancient forests containing centuries old trees can be done in an ecologically well- managed and sustainable manner. These otherwise well-regarded organizations should know better, yet there is no chance ancient forest logging will ever end when they continue their misguided greenwashing of "certified" ancient forest destruction.

This is not a minor policy difference: whether and when old-growth logging ends will critically determine the likelihood of the Earth's climate, species, ecosystems and human livelihoods being maintained. Please join us in calling upon Greenpeace, WWF, Rainforest Action Network, NRDC, Forest Ethics, Friends of the Earth and Rainforest Alliance to immediately end their support for first time logging of primary and old-growth forests. These groups must withdraw from FSC, commit to working to end ancient forest logging as a keystone response to the biodiversity and climate change crises, and support local sustainable community development based upon standing and intact forests.

Take Action: https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=fsc_forest_liars

Discuss Alert: https://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2008/03/alert_stop_the_forest_liars_ce.asp

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Update of the "Stop the Forest Liars: "Certified" Old-Growth Rainforest Logging Does NOT Protect Biodiversity, Ecosystems or Climate" still current and able to be sent at: https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=fsc_forest_liars

March 26, 2008
OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY by Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet

Mongabay reports below that the Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) is coming under increasingly harsh criticism. Ecological Internet (EI) and many others believe FSC is imploding as claims of environmental and social benefits of ancient forest logging and industrial monoculture plantations are exposed as myths. FSC's future (if it is to have one) depends upon changing its guidelines to end support for both business as usual old-growth logging and large-scale monoculture plantations.

If unwilling to end their involvement in ancient forest logging, FSC and supporters must be protested until they are shutdown. Global ecological sustainability depends critically upon strictly protecting all remaining relatively natural ecosystems, particularly primary forests. All ancient forests are of high conservation value. There is no alternative to continued logging of centuries old trees found in primary forests. The era of ancient forest logging must end if global ecological collapse is to be averted.

There may be a role for certification of plantations and regenerating forests, yet these FSC certifications are also troubled by conflicts of interests by certifiers, flawed certifications in violation of guidelines, and terribly insufficient standards for industrial monoculture-based plantations. Only management of natural mixed species, toxic free and community supported secondary and planted forests is worthy of claims of being environmentally and socially beneficial.

It is ludicrous to expect the public to differentiate FSC certification from other "green" seals and business as usual industrial ancient and plantation logging. A much more truthful, ecologically sufficient and accessible public message is that all ancient forest logging must end as a matter of planetary survival, and we must meet our needs for wood products from regenerating, ecologically managed natural forests for the benefit of local peoples.

Once united behind a goal of ending ancient forest logging, the forest protection movement can work to end all industrial destruction and gain permanent protections for all remaining primary and old-growth forests (with appropriate compensation and continued small scale use for local peoples), promote the ecological restoration and certified management of regenerating and planted natural forest ecosystems, and assist local peoples with community based eco-development projects based upon growing secondary and standing ancient forests. This is the sufficient, ecology and people based forest protection agenda, and the only one worthy of your support. g.b.

To comment: https://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2008/03/fsc_failing_the_worlds_forests.asp

To protest: https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=fsc_forest_liars


RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:

Title: FSC has 'failed the world's forests' say critics Timber certification body under attack from environmentalists for slipping standards
Source: Copyright 2008, Mongabay, https://www.mongabay.com/
Date: March 26, 2008
Byline: Jeremy Hance

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has come under increasingly harsh criticisms from a variety of environmental organizations. The FSC is an international not-for-profit organization that certifies wood products: its stamp of approval is meant to create confidence that the wood was harvested in an environmentally-sustainable and socially- responsible manner. For years the FSC stamp has been imperative for concerned consumers in purchasing wood products. Yet amid growing troubles for the FSC, recent attacks from environmental organizations like World Rainforest Movement and Ecological Internet are putting the organization's credibility into question.

Last week the World Rainforest Movement released a scathing press release calling a decision by the FSC to certify eucalyptus plantations in Brazil its "death certificate." The eucalyptus plantations are owned by Veracel, a partnership between Aracruz Celulose of Brazil and Stora Enso of Sweden- Finland, which has a shaky environmental record. The press release alleges that Veracel "has a very well known record of harmful actions, including violating local communities' rights over land, to environmental pollution, water depletion and ecosystem destruction." World Rainforest Movement's greatest concern, however, is that by certifying Veracel's eucalyptus plantations, the FSC is stating that large-scale monoculture plantations are environmentally sound, socially responsible, and beneficial to local people. Whereas research has shown that monoculture plantations support little biodiversity, result in CO2 emissions relative to natural forests, and undermine the efforts of local people to manage forests in a sustainable manner. In calling this decision the FSC's "death certificate" the World Rainforest Movement asserts that "the certification of Veracel is not an isolated fact, but the last piece in a chain of failures."

As this press release emerged, the FSC was already under criticism by another environmental organization, Ecological Internet. In early March Ecological Internet began a campaign stating that the FSC's support for logging old-growth forests was completely at odds with its purpose. The campaign targets some of the world's most influential environmental and well- respected NGOs, asking them to withdraw their support from the FSC. These include Greenpeace, WWF, Rainforest Action Network, NRDC, Forest Ethics, Friends of the Earth and the Rainforest Alliance. Ecological Internet claims that, much like supporting monoculture plantations, the support of ancient forest logging diminishes biodiversity, causes net carbon losses, and harms the forest's ecology.

"It has become evident to environmentalists in the know that FSC has become an obstacle to ending ancient forest destruction, addressing climate change and biodiversity loss, and promoting desirable ecologically based practices in regenerating and planted forests," Ecological Internet founder Dr. Glen Barry told mongabay.com. "The organization is plagued with conflicts of interest, poor quality assurance mechanisms, and generally has failed the world's forests. As such, we are in the uncomfortable position of protesting greenwashing NGO FSC supporters, who are finding it quite difficult to acknowledge they have been critical in creating and maintaining the FSC myth."

Dr. Barry's criticism of NGOs that support the FSC has touched off sharp debates within and without these organizations. The situation has become so tense that the Rainforest Alliance— usually a group that does the pro-forest campaigns—recently faced environmental protesters at a 'Green Leaders' cocktail party for their support of the FSC and old-growth logging. The Rainforest Alliance has said they will join in a debate regarding their support of old-growth logging.

Both of the reports emerged after face-saving efforts by the FSC in Indonesia where an inquiry by The Wall Street Journal last year prompted the organization to effectively revoke certification for a Singapore-based Asia Pulp & Paper Co. (APP) project on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The admission, which environmentalists said showed the FSC had relaxed its certification standards to the point at which APP could qualify for the eco-label despite a poor environmental record, threatened to undermine the credibility of its labeling scheme.

A report released this week by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Telepak on illegal logging in Southeast Asia has provided further trouble for the FSC. The report uncovered that corporations are getting away with lying about certification. Furniture companies YourPriceFurniture.com and Kybotech Ltd. both claimed that all their products were FSC certified when the claim was patently untrue. Both companies sell wood furniture that has never received FSC certification. According to the report, Kybotech Ltd. when pressed admitted that "certain furniture sets were not actually certified."

Such reports of FSC's difficulties—both globally and locally— are not being ignored. In what may be the beginning of a large-scale abandonment of the FSC, last Tuesday the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) withdrew its long-time support of the FSC. In a statement the SSNC said that the "FSC functions badly in Sweden. The standard is weak, the lack of observance is substantial and the forest companies will to improve FSC is weak." Sweden is not alone. Certification practices in the FSC in Ireland and the US have come under increased scrutiny, causing outcry amid many local environmental groups. Last year Norway went as far as banning use of all certified wood products in public buildings.

While its future seems increasingly precarious, the FSC still possesses widespread support from large environmental global players. Further no one has yet proposed a viable replacement for the FSC should the organization not survive rising criticism.

In the meantime consumers are left increasingly in the dark when trying to purchase environmentally-sustainable and socially-responsible wood products. Caught in an environmental Catch-22, eco-conscious consumers who want to avoid supporting large-scale monoculture plantations and old-growth logging, seem forced to avoide both FSC certified and non-certified furniture.

The FSC did not reply to Mongabay's request for comment.



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Jessica Aldred of The Guardian UK reports: "The destruction of Sumatra's natural forests is accelerating global climate change and pushing endangered species closer to extinction, a new report warned today."

https://www.truthout.org/issues_06/022708EC.shtml



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According to Jack Chang of McClatchy Newspapers, "As deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rain forest declined over the past three years, the country's leaders crowed that they'd found the recipe for stopping the destruction of the world's most diverse ecosystem."

https://www.truthout.org/issues_06/021208EC.shtml

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ACTION ALERT UPDATE

PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!

Global Ecological Emergency: Brazil Must Succeed in Keeping Soybeans Out of Amazon Rainforest

Rainforest Portal a project of Ecological Internet https://www.rainforestportal.org/

February 12, 2008


TAKE ACTION

Only soy products that do not directly or indirectly destroy ancient rainforests, or intensify climate change and other problems inherent with large-scale industrial monocultures, will be tolerated in international markets

https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=brazil_agrofuel

The greatest emerging threat to Amazon rainforests and communities is industrial soy plantations. Huge mechanized, soy monocultures destroy tropical ecosystems, accelerate climate change and cause human rights abuses primarily to produce agrofuel and livestock feed. The soya industry wipes out biodiversity, destroys soil fertility, pollutes freshwater and displaces communities. Soybean production expands the agricultural frontier not only through fire and deforestation to clear ancient rainforests, but more importantly by pushing cattle ranches and displacing forest peoples further into natural rainforest ecosystems.

With rising soy and other agricultural commodity prices, there has been a marked increase in fires and Amazonian deforestation to clear new agricultural lands from primary rainforests. In reaction Brazil has again announced increased agricultural deforestation enforcement. Amazon rainforest sustainability critically depends upon new soybean production being kept out of ancient primary rainforest ecosystems. Let's continue the commitment of Ecological Internet's Earth Action Network to strongly speak ecological truth to intransigent power.

TAKE ACTION NOW: https://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=brazil_agrofuel

DISCUSS ALERT: https://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2008/02/global_ecological_emergency_br.asp



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In den letzten 50 Jahren wurde bereits die Hälfte des Regenwalds auf unserer Erde kahlgeschlagen. Der Regenwald ist die grüne Lunge unseres Planeten. Heute kann die Erde nur noch mit einem Lungenflügel arbeiten – und wenn der Prozess der Zerstörung nochmals 50 Jahre so weiter läuft, haben wir noch weniger Chancen, gesunde Luft atmen zu können.

https://sonnenseite.kjm4.de/ref.php?id=d8741683037ms86



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Peru gewinnt im Amazonasbecken Erdgas und will den lukrativen Energieträger künftig nach Mexiko und in die USA exportieren.

https://www.heise.de/tp/blogs/2/103078



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