Ancient forest
Ancient forests are the living expression of billions of years of evolution. Home to millions of types of plants and animals, these forests sustain as much as 90% of the world's land-based species - everything from owls to orchids and bears to beetles.
Ancient forests play a critical role in the world's climate. When destroyed, forests release very high amounts of carbon. This carbon heats up the earth's atmosphere which accelerates harmful climate change. Latest figures reveal that the current rate of rainforest destruction is contributing over 20 per cent of global carbon emissions.
Just as important as preserving the beauty of the world's ancient forests is the livelihood of the people who live in them. The bleak reality is that industrial logging in ancient forests has resulted in the destruction of lands of many indigenous peoples, their forest resources plundered and their cultural traditions threatened. Before the loggers moved in, these indigenous peoples had been contently living in their ancient forest homelands for thousands of years, coexisting in harmony with their surroundings.
Less than one-fifth of the earth's original forests are untouched and many countries have lost all their significant ancient forests, without which many species will not survive. Every two seconds, ancient forest areas the size of a football pitch are destroyed. Within the next two decades we stand to lose an area of ancient forest the size of Europe.
Commercial logging is the single largest contributor to this ancient forest destruction. And what for, cheap paper and wood products such as milk cartons and phone books. Huge quantities of plywood and timber used by the construction and furniture industry also come from ancient forests.
Greenpeace is working to end destructive logging in the world's remaining ancient forests and is supporting alternatives such as sustainable logging and the development of non-wood products. We are approaching thousands of companies around the world to ask them to stop purchasing wood and paper products that contribute to ancient forest destruction. Several major industrial consumers, with annual sales of billions of dollars, have already committed to stop buying ancient forest destruction. These include IKEA, B&Q and Home Depot.
