Isabel Allende urges HarperCollins go 'Ancient Forest Friendly'

Leading Chilean author Isabel Allende and Greenpeace are urging Harper Collins, Allende's UK publisher, to print the UK edition of her latest book, 'Forest of the Pygmies', on ancient forest friendly paper (1).

Allende's Spanish publisher Random House Mondadori have printed one edition of the book on 100% recycled paper and another on 30% FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) (2) certified paper. Today, Greenpeace are delivering copies of the ancient forest friendly book to Victoria Barnsley, CEO of Harper Collins, in an effort to encourage her do the same.

Harper Collins source virgin pulp from countries like Finland, where the last fragments of ancient forest in Europe are being logged. Significant questions also remain regarding forest management standards under industry dominated certification schemes.

Finnish forests are crucial to the survival of animals like the European brown bear, flying squirrel and the highly endangered eagle owl. The indigenous Sami community also relies on such forests for their traditional livelihood of reindeer herding.

Isabel Allende said: "It is great that my Spanish book is on an ancient forest friendly paper and that by doing so, I am playing a part in protecting the world's ancient forests. I would like all my other publishers to follow the example set by my Spanish publishers and use ancient forest friendly papers for my books."

This is the first time that a major Spanish publisher has used ancient forest friendly book paper and comes as a result of collaboration with Greenpeace. Greenpeace encourages the book publishing industry to stop sourcing paper linked to ancient forest destruction and to start developing 'ancient forest friendly' solutions such as using recycled paper and/or FSC certified virgin fibre. Random House Mondadori has also committed to print all its youth books under its Montena label on recycled paper by 2005.

Belinda Fletcher, Greenpeace forest campaigner, said "Printing this book about the forest dwelling Pygmy people on ancient forest friendly paper is very appropriate. Ancient forests, like the ones the Pygmies rely on, are at threat across the world due to illegal and destructive logging."

"Isabel Allende's Spanish publishers have shown that book publishers can play a key part in protecting ancient forests. We're calling on Harper Collins UK to follow suit when they publish her book in 2005."

Random House Mondadori has followed the example set by Random House Canada and 66 other Canadian publishers who have made formal commitments to phase out ancient forest fibres from their books. Since 2001, 4.5 million books in Canada have been printed on recycled paper made from post consumer waste and 9 ancient forest friendly book papers have been developed for the Canadian market.

The Greenpeace Book Campaign has prompted a growing number of European publishers to move towards using ancient forest friendly paper. In the last few months, Italian publisher Einaudi has published a number of books on 100% recycled paper and 14 Dutch publishers, representing 75% of the fiction market, have committed to using ancient forest friendly book papers. In the UK publisher Bloomsbury has also made initial steps by printing the paperback edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on a part recycled paper (3) whilst the BBC recently printed 'More Nation's Favourite Poems' on a 30% FSC certified paper.

For more information
Please contact the Greenpeace Press Office on 0207 865 8255.

NOTES
(1) Ancient forest friendly paper is defined as recycled paper with a high post- consumer waste content and/or virgin pulp certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

(2) The youth hardback edition of Forest of the Pygmies is printed on 100% recycled paper and the adult hardback edition is printed on 30% FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper.

(3) 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' was printed on paper made from 10% post consumer waste recycled paper. The adult version of the book was printed on 20% post consumer waste recycled paper.