Barito Pacific plywood and doors from Indonesia can still be found in Travis Perkins' UK stores
Greenpeace today welcomed an announcement by timber merchants Jewson that they will cease importing Indonesian rainforest plywood by the end of this year (1).
The statement follows the launch of a Greenpeace report 'Partners in Crime - an investigation of the links between the UK and Indonesia's timber barons' which highlighted the role of UK timber companies like Jewson and Travis Perkins in fuelling the destruction of Indonesia's last remaining rainforests.
Today (Saturday 14th June) Greenpeace volunteers are taking action to highlight the continued role of Travis Perkins in the trade in illegal and destructive Indonesian rainforest timber. They are visiting 28 stores across the UK.
Volunteers wearing 'Forest Crime Unit' tabards cordoned off areas where Indonesian plywood and doors were on sale with 'Forest Crime Scene' tape. They then delivered a copy of the Greenpeace report 'Partners in Crime - an investigation of the links between the UK and Indonesia's timber barons' to the store manager and handed out leaflets to staff and customers explaining why they should avoid buying Indonesian rainforest timber.
Indonesia is suffering the highest rate of forest destruction in the world, which is driven by demand for cheap timber and paper products. Many of Indonesia's unique species depend upon these forests for their survival and the country now has more species threatened with extinction than anywhere else on earth, including the orang-utan. The World Bank recently described Indonesia as facing 'a species extinction of planetary proportions' and estimated that if the current rate of forest destruction continues, most of Indonesia's rainforests will be logged out by 2010.
The UK is currently the sixth largest importer of Indonesian plywood in the world. Shiploads of plywood from Indonesia's last remaining rainforests arrive in the UK each month.
John Sauven, Greenpeace forest campaigner said, "Using ancient rainforest timber for plywood is like smashing up Stonehenge to make paving stones. It's outrageous that Travis Perkins are continuing to buy timber they know comes from companies engaged in illegal logging and human rights abuses. They should follow the lead taken by Jewson and stop selling Indonesian rainforest plywood".
Greenpeace is demanding that Travis Perkins stop their involvement with Indonesian rainforest timber until it can be certified to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards - which guarantees it comes from environmentally and socially responsible forestry. We are asking consumers to stop fuelling rainforest destruction by avoiding Indonesian wood products and buying only FSC accredited wood.
EDITIOR'S NOTES:
For more information contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.
(1) In a press statement Jewson stated "During 2003 Jewson will import at least 80% of its plywood product from alternative sources which can demonstrate a clear commitment to sustainable development. Furthermore going forward Jewson is committed to importing zero plywood from Indonesia".
For a full copy of the Indonesian forest report 'Partners in Crime' with full references, or for a copy of the edited media briefing visit www.saveordelete.com
For information on how to make sure the timber you buy comes from sustainable sources see http://www.fsc-uk.info/
Greenpeace and Timbmet Limited, the UK's leading hardwoods distributor are running a series of monthly RIBA CPD approved seminars for architects on specifying timber from well managed forests. The Specifying timber from well-managed forests: answers for architects course is designed for architects, other specifiers and contractors. It is, in part, a response to growing pressures from national and local government, private developers and consumers, for the use of 'legal and sustainable' timbers. For more information contact Mike Packer at Timbmet: 01865 860638.
