31st March sees the launch of a new book by author Ken Finn. "My journey with a remarkable tree" documents the author's search for the fabled Spirit Trees of Cambodia. It is a journey that lays bare what's happening to the forests, wildlife and people of Cambodia and how that affects us.
Ken witnesses the destruction of spirit trees, 1000's of years old, by illegal loggers. He follows the tree's path from the forest, through the wood mill and processing plant and onto the shop floor as garden furniture for our homes. Along the way he witnesses first hand the systematic and thoughtless destruction of ancient forests for immediate economic gain, and the operations of a corrupt regime intent on turning diversity into monoculture, and forest into chipboard for quick profit.Greenpeace campaigner Belinda Fletcher said, "This book exposes what the real cost of your garden table set can be. The destruction of forests that have taken centuries to evolve, the disappearance of animals that depend on them and the abuse of human rights as people are kicked off their traditional lands by robber baron loggers."
For people who want to ensure that the garden furniture they buy comes from environmentally and socially responsible sources and not from ancient forests, Greenpeace are launching a new user-friendly online consumer guide to garden furniture. You can search for your local store to see where their garden furniture is coming from and whether the gazebos or recliners on sale are certified to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which ensures timber products are from legal and well managed sources.
Ken Finn is supporting the Greenpeace Book Campaign, which aims to encourage the book publishing industry to stop sourcing paper from ancient forest regions and instead to move towards 'ancient forest friendly' paper (1). Greenpeace worked with Ken's publisher, Eye books, to help source a 30% FSC certified paper for the printing of this book. (2)
Notes
(1) At least 30% of the wood fibre in the book will come from well-managed forests independently certified according to the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The remainder of the fibre will come from controlled sources which exclude wood harvested from forest areas where traditional or civil rights are violated, from non FSC certified forest areas that have high conservation values which are threatened, from genetically modified trees, from illegally harvested wood, or from natural forests that have been converted to plantations or non forest use. (2) Ancient forest friendly papers are those that maximise recycled content with any virgin fibre coming from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified sources.
For more information, an advance copy of the book, or to interview the author contact Dan at Eye Books on 020 8743 3276.
For more information about the Greenpeace book campaign call Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.
