Guyana is to enter into the world's first serious effort to pay for the ecosystem services provided by rainforests [ark | more\ark]. Such an approach is long overdue, and while the specifics have not yet been released, it appears the payments are for broad ecosystem services [search] provided by a million acres of Guyanese rainforest rather than just their carbon storage (which is good). It remains to be seen whether industrial logging [search] will be allowed in the protected area -- if so, the constant ecological diminishment resulting from selective logging will greatly reduce the value of the deal.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 5:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Mongabay reports that the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is coming under increasingly harsh criticism [ark]. Ecological Internet (EI) and many others believe FSC is imploding as claims of environmental and social benefits of certified ancient forest logging [search] and industrial monoculture plantations [search] 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 [alert]. 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.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (0)

Much attention is being placed upon "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation" (REDD) [search] -- which advocates carbon payments to avoid deforestation. Ecological Internet and its predecessors have long advocated international payments to rainforest rich countries to offset opportunity costs associated with protecting rainforests [search] and to promote community based eco-developments based upon standing forests.

However the REDD approach is not without risk. Our primary concern is that carbon payments will support industrial first time selective logging of primary rainforests [search], based on the misconception this substantially protects these ancient rainforests' carbon stores (and biodiversity). Such diminishment in fact permanently destroys carbon storage potential, is only slightly better ecologically than outright deforestation, and as such primary forest logging is unworthy of avoided deforestation payments. To be effective and avoid "leakage", continued ancient forest logging must not be allowed anywhere in countries receiving international monies to protect their rainforests for climate benefits.

There are a whole slew of other concerns that must be addressed to ensure that the concept of avoided deforestation payments is not usurped by industry as has been done to good ideas such as sustainable development and certified forestry. These include avoided destruction simply moving to another location, long-time local forest protectors being unable to receive payment, and destructive industries making outrageous claims they benefit the climate.

Most problematic -- while the rainforest and climate crises rage, avoided deforestation and general international climate policies poke along at a glacial pace. The level of urgency and action is not equal to the threat, so a good idea is almost certainly too little too late.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 7:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

A massive well-established illegal market in stolen black market timbers threatens to bring down all of Asia's rainforests [ark]. The main perpetrators include Indonesia, Burma, Cambodia and Russia. China is the largest buyer of illegal timber [search] in the world. Along with Japan, and to a lesser extent India, Europe and the U.S., all are tacit supporters by acting as prime markets. The newest frontiers for ill-gotten timbers is from Laos via Vietnam [ark].

The problem of illegal rainforest logging [search] has been known for ages, and has resulted in little more than meaningless rhetoric. And recent backtracking, as Indonesia has announced it will allow mining in its rainforests [ark]. The existence of a legal timber including those falsely certified as being well-managed and sustainable, provides cover and legitimacy to the trade, confusing the public. it is criminally ecologically negligent to allow rainforests to be logged for a pittance when they should remain in rainforest canopies making the Earth habitable.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 3:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

PRESS RELEASE
Naming Names to End Ancient Forest Logging.

(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 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 still be sent.

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], " says Ecological Internet President Dr. Glen Barry.

"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 to 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.

Stop the Forest Liars: "Certified" Old-Growth Rainforest Logging Does NOT Protect Biodiversity, Ecosystems or Climate

By Ecological Internet, Inc.
http://www.rainforestportal.org/ and http://www.climateark.org/
Contact: Dr. Glen Barry, + 1 920 776 1075, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 9:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (19) | TrackBacks (1)

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.

Many of the world's largest environmental groups continue to support Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) "certified" industrial logging [search] 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 now.

Posted by Dr. Glen Barry at 1:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (26) | TrackBacks (1)