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Ingram-Mooto Internet Action
Greenpeace Press Release -- 8 July, 1998
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GREENPEACE CONDEMNS LOGGING OF PRISTINE VALLEY BY WESTERN FOREST PRODUCTS
Logging company trying to promote clearcutting of pristine rainforest valley as environmentally certifiable and responsible
(VANCOUVER, B.C.) Wednesday, 8 July, 1998 - Today as Western Forest Products (WFP) is conducting a public relations tour of its logging operations on the central coast, Greenpeace condemned WFP for continuing to clearcut one of Canada's last pristine rainforest valleys and trying to camouflage its practices as environmentally responsible.
Despite overwhelming concern being expressed by B.C.'s environmental community, by local First Nations and customers, WFP is continuing to blast roads into and then clearcut log the pristine ancient rainforest of the Ingram-Mooto valleys. Although the logging company has publicly stated that it will pursue certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), they have simultaneously stated that they "do not expect in any way to have to make significant changes in their operations" in order to be certified.
However, the FSC's policy on logging of old growth forests states that "certification bodies are advised to take extreme caution in any evaluations which involve more than limited, selective, small scale impacts in primary or well-developed secondary forests". Over 90 per cent of the logging done by WFP is in old-growth rainforests and is conducted by conventional clearcutting. To date, there has been no industrial clearcutting certified in old-growth forests. Approximately 80 per cent of the world's ancient forest is already destroyed or severely degraded.
"It's absolutely clear that the FSC's policy does not support conventional clearcutting in a fragile ecosystem like an ancient rainforest. For WFP to suggest it does indicates they're more interested in public relations than in changing their practices," said Tamara Stark of Greenpeace Canada. "If Western is serious about getting a green stamp of approval, a good first step would be to stop clearcutting in the remaining pristine valleys."
Internationally several customers have cancelled or suspended contracts with WFP, specifically because of WFP's logging of the Ingram-Mooto watershed of the Great Bear Rainforest. When WFP first started blasting roads into this contentious area, two German paper companies, Haindl and MD, wrote WFP and said they would suspend contracts if they continued. Both companies followed through on their promises.
Greenpeace has called for a moratorium on logging in the remaining pristine rainforest valleys in order to allow time for alternatives and options to be explored. Of the original 353 large rainforest valleys that were once pristine, today only 69 remain intact.
Notes to Editors:
The FSC's principles also state that "indigenous peoples shall control forest management on their lands and territories unless they delegate control with free and informed consent to other agencies. Three months ago the Hemas Council of hereditary chiefs and community members of the Heiltsuk Nation asked WFP to stop logging in the Ingram-Mooto watershed and today released footage of that event along with a statement summarising their opposition to the clearcutting on their lands. (Footage is available either from Greenpeace on behalf of the Hemas Council or directly from the Council in Bella Bella.)
A vessel from the environmental group Forest Action Network today arrived in the Ingram-Mooto, in order for FAN staff to photograph and videotape WFP's roadbuilding and logging practices in the region. The images will be posted on Thursday, 9 July on the FAN website to enable interested individuals to view for themselves the impacts of WFP's logging in pristine valleys. The web address is: www.fanweb.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Alison Turner, Greenpeace press officer or
Tamara Stark, Greenpeace Forests campaign 604-253-7701
Alison Turner, Forests Press Officer
Greenpeace Canada
1726 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, B.C. V5N 4A3
Phone: (604) 253-7701
Fax: (604) 253-0114
aturner@yvr.greenpeace.org
Network,
Box 625
Bella Coola, BC
Canada V0T 1C0;
Bella Coola Phone: (250) 799-5800.
Fax: (250) 799-5830
Vancouver Phone:
(604) 739-4782
E-mail
fanbc@envirolink.org
Webmasters:
Dang Ngo
Deryk Wenaus
FAN works to replace industrial clearcutting
with community-based ecoforestry.