By Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet
Earth Meanders come from Earth's Newsdesk

Genuine and growing concern with their ongoing, publicly undefended support for Forest Stewardship Council “certified” primary forest logging – destroying an area two times the size of Texas – deleted, blocked and reported to Facebook as terms of use violations

Greenpeace US and International, as well as Rainforest Action Network, are censoring comments of concern regarding their support for “sustainable forest management” of old forests including primary rainforests [search] on Facebook and their blogs. Ecological Internet has been at the vanguard of working to protect and restore primary and old growth forests [search] globally by ending their industrial logging and other developments. Unfortunately this has required campaigning to confront Greenpeace[1] and Rainforest Action Network[2] – two of the strongest supporters of continued primary forest logging.

“As Greenpeace condemns censorship by Nestle[3] of a YouTube video showing their use of oil palm at the expense of orangutans, and RAN blasts Facebook censorship of its use of tar sands financier RBC Bank’s logo, both groups are systematically removing criticism of their support for first time industrial primary forest logging from their facebook pages and blogs. To who are these groups accountable,” asks Dr. Glen Barry? “For years these groups have inconsistently promoted logging primary forests – and have gotten away with ignoring genuine widespread concern that such old forests are key to solving the biodiversity and climate change crises.”

Global ecological sustainability depends upon a consistent, ecologically credible position on protecting old forests. Please visit and become temporary ‘fans’ of the following Greenpeace (GP) and Rainforest Action Network (RAN) facebook and blog sites, demanding the censorship end, that they please resign from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) immediately, and commit to ending industrial old forest logging. Please be polite yet pointed that further censoring, stonewalling and vilification is unacceptable.

RAN Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rainforestactionnetwork
RAN Blog: http://understory.ran.org/
Greenpeace US Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/greenpeaceusa
Greenpeace International Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/greenpeace.international
Please fan and post copies with EI at: http://www.facebook.com/ecointernet

You may choose to mention that you are part of Ecological Internet’s large global network of forest protectors demanding that RAN and GP please state exactly how their support for FSC certified first time industrial logging of 500 year old trees in millions of years old primary forests – over an area two times the size of Texas – is forest protection in any real meaningful sense? If RAN and Greenpeace can target others for damaging the environment, then clearly their own involvement in such massive and unexplained logging of ancient forests is worthy of a campaign and deserves a reasoned response.

MORE

In most countries it is impossible to suggest primary and old growth forest logging end and development be based upon standing old forests, as the response is they are to be “sustainably” logged. Often it is pointed out even “radical” NGOs like Greenpeace and the Rainforest Action Network support first time industrial logging of primary and old growth forests. Indeed, this greenwash – which is totally contrary to ecological science – provides critical cover for a variety of schemes to log and develop plantations in dwindling primary rainforests. Internationally, forest carbon efforts – such as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) – build upon the falsehood that logging primary forests, even establishing plantations where they once stood, is a desirable outcome.

In light of current and emerging ecosystem, biodiversity and climate science; as well as evident abrupt climate change, water scarcity and the ongoing biodiversity extinction crises, it is clear that FSC certification for primary and old-growth logging – except under specific circumstances such as small scale community eco-forestry practiced by local peoples – is one of the primary threats to old forests. This is particularly true when many other certification schemes and business as usual industrial rainforest logging make competing claims of sustainability, confusing consumers regarding the environmental acceptability of a product – primary forest timbers – that should be banned. It is becoming abundantly clear that ending industrial diminishment and working for the full protection and restoration of old forests are keystone responses to the climate change, biodiversity, ecosystem, water and poverty crises.

You can still TAKE ACTION on this matter regarding RAN’s support for old forest logging at:
http://www.rainforestportal.org/shared/alerts/send.aspx?id=ran_ancient_forest_logging

[1] Action Alert: Tell Greenpeace: Toilet Paper Consumption from Canada's Ancient Boreal Forests Must End

[2] Action Alert: Let Rainforest Action Network Know Global Ecological Sustainability Depends Upon Ending Old Forest Logging

[3] A new world?: Social media protest against Nestle may have longstanding ramifications

DISCUSS RELEASE:
http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/