The increase in the international demand for industrial wood and paper, coupled with the idea that tree plantations can be used as carbon sinks to counter the greenhouse effect, are being used by the biotechnology industry as arguments for the promotion of genetically modified trees, especially commercially valuable and fast-growing species such as eucalyptus, pines and poplars.
Other information
The WRM has just published two new plantations campaign briefings ("Pulpwood Plantations: a Growing Problem" and "Ten Replies to Ten Lies") which are available free of charge from the International Secretariat. NGOs, IPOs and community-based organizations can request more than one copy, also free of charge. The first briefing is a summarized version of "Pulping the South" and is also available in Spanish, French and Portuguese. The second briefing counters the 10 main arguments used worldwide by plantations promoters and is also available in Spanish.
"Pulping the South: industrial tree plantations and the world paper economy.", by Carrere, R. & Lohmann, L. Book. Published by Zed Books, UK. Provides a detailed overview of the pulp and paper industry, the actors supporting it, its social and environmental impacts and case studies in Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, South Africa, Indonesia and Thailand. Available at the publishers. Southern NGOs can also request a copy free of charge from the WRM International Secretariat.
"Tree plantations: impacts and struggles." (also in paper)
"Pulpwood plantations: a growing problem." (also in paper)
"Ten Replies to Ten Lies." (also in paper)
"Briefing on Finnish Consultancy Firm Jaakko Poyry"
"Plantations and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests"
"The World Bank: a major actor"
Apart from the above, the web page contains many other relevant papers and articles, both on general and specific country-related information, which we encourage you to read.
Trade liberalization is being promoted by governments and multilateral agencies as the panacea for the world’s economy. The idea has also reached the forest sector and it is clear that what it really would mean is further forest degradation and destruction. A group of concerned environmental NGOs have issued the following statement:
“NGO Statement of Oppositon to the Proposed Liberalization of the Forest Products Sector
May 1999
Member organizations of the Industrial Shrimp Action Network (ISA Net) participated at the Global Biodiversity Forum (GBF) 13 and the Ramsar COP7 held in San Jose, Costa Rica from May 7 to May 18, 1999 and at the World Meeting of the NGOs, Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples that also gathered in San Jose on May 7-9.
Andrew Gray, a life-long campaigner in support of the rights of Indigenous Peoples was lost in an air accident in the sea off Vanuatu on May 8th. Andrew was in the middle of a networking trip in the South Pacific linking up with Indigenous Peoples and their organisations in the region as part of IWGIA's expanding programme in support of the rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The WRM will soon publish in hard copy this Plantations Campaign Briefing Paper in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. In the meantime, it is available in electronic format in our web page (in English), under Plantations Campaign/Plantation Campaign Materials/Briefing Papers. Anyone wishing to receive it through email please let us know and we will send it immediately.
Fletcher Challenge Forests, International Paper, Monsanto Company and Westvaco Corporation announced on April 6th their intent to form a forestry biotechnology joint venture to produce and market tree seedlings that will allegedly improve trees' health and productivity for the forestry market worldwide. The four companies will spend U$S 60 million for the joint venture over five years. The companies also announced their intent to contract with Genesis Research and Development Corporation Limited -a New Zealand biotechnology research company- to provide genomics research.
The International Forum on Globalization's newsletter (IFG NEWS) called the American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA), the main lobby arm of the U.S. timber industry, to clarify a few things about the World Trade Organization (WTO) wood prodcuts agreement now being negotiatied for finalization in Seattle, December, 1999.
Forests Monitor is an NGO which aims to provide detailed, accurate information on the corporate structures and environmental and social records of forestry sector companies. This information is intended to be used as a tool by civil society at local, national and international levels to help promote sustainable and equitable use of forest resources.
On May 6th we sent a fax to Mr. Martín Villa, president of Endesa Spain, expressing our support to the campaign of RIAP (International Network of Support to the Pehuenche People and the Biobio) in their long conflict still pending against the hydroelectric project of Ralco in Chile.
The International Secretariat of the WRM supported the campaign for the conservation of Papua New Guinea's rainforests by sending faxes dated May 19th to Mr Bill Skate, Prime Minister of that country, and to Senator Robert Hill Australian Minister for Environment and Heritage.