London/Vancouver, February 7th, 2006 - Greenpeace applauded today's news that a third of Canada's unique Great Bear Rainforest is to be saved from the chainsaws. Following a decade of campaigning by Greenpeace, other leading environmental groups [1] and indigenous First Nations, the British Columbian Government has pledged to fully protect two million hectares of the ancient forest [2] and to dramatically improve bad logging practices in the rest of the forest.
"Today's decision is welcome news for the Great Bear Rainforest which was being destroyed at an alarming rate to feed a growing international appetite for wood, paper and toilet roll," said Gavin Edwards, Global Forest Campaign Coordinator, Greenpeace International. "The world's last ancient forests need a global network of protected areas to survive - and the Great Bear Rainforest is a good start."
The protected forest will be a haven for threatened or endangered species including grizzly, black and rare white 'Spirit' bears, wild salmon, eagles and wolves as well as 1,000-year-old cedar trees and ancient spruce. In recent years, its rapid destruction has raised international concern and protest.
Companies such as BBC Worldwide Publishing put pressure on the logging companies to protect the forest and over 80 others, including Mitsubishi Corporation and the Belgian Timber Trade Federation, even stopped buying products made from Great Bear Rainforest wood.
In response, the British Columbian Government has committed to:
- Fully protecting 33 per cent of the Great Bear Rainforest from logging;
- Making sure the logging industry implements a strict ecosystem-based management system in the rest of the forest by 2009. This means any logging that will be sustainable in nature, and that many additional areas will be protected. The entire forest covers 6.4m hectares.
"Today's announcement plants the seeds to safeguard this global treasure but the true measure of success will be signs of change on the ground and in the forest," said Amanda Carr, forest campaigner for Greenpeace Canada. "Greenpeace will be watching to see if the British Columbian Government follows through on these commitments and takes this opportunity to make the Great Bear Rainforest a global model of forest sustainability."
Greenpeace is supporting an initiative to raise $120m to help develop a new and diverse economy in the Great Bear Rainforest, based on conservation. To date, $90m has been raised, including $30m from the British Columbian government. A further $30m is needed from the Canadian federal government.
Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organization, which uses non-violent, creative communication tools to put the spotlight on global environmental problems and to drive towards solutions essential for a green and peaceful future. It is committed to protecting the world's last ancient forests and the plants, animals and people who depend on them.
For more information please contact:
Amanda Carr, Forest Campaigner, Greenpeace Canada (+1 604 839-8760)
Gavin Edwards, Global Forest Campaign Coordinator, Greenpeace International (+31 652 391 429)
Images of the Great Bear Rainforest are available on request.
Notes to Editors:
[1] Greenpeace, ForestEthics, Rainforest Action Network and Sierra Club of Canada, BC Chapter.
[2] This total includes new and previously protected areas and special no logging zones.
