forests

A traditional landowner stands amid the devastation of a deforested area in Papua New Guinea

With 80 per cent of the world's ancient forests already lost or seriously degraded, it's vital we look after what remains to maintain biodiversity, protect the way of life of local communities, and guard against climate change. But industrial logging, which is often either destructive, illegal or both, has these last areas of ancient forest under siege. So fast is the rate that an area the size of a football pitch is lost every two seconds.

Companies such as B&Q are responding to our campaigns and consumer demand

The activities of a range of companies, from commercial logging to industrial-scale agriculture, are threatening ancient forests around the world. But, as we've demonstrated across various campaigns, with non-violent direct action, consumer pressure and proper solutions, industry practices can be changed so they can help protect forests instead of destroying them.

Update: May 2010 saw the launch of a historic accord, the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, which brings together 9 environmental groups, including Greenpeace and 21 of the largest logging companies in Canada. The agreement is the first step towards conservation planning for 70 million hectares of Boreal wilderness. It marks the suspension of boycott campaigns directed at AbitibiBowater, Kruger and other members of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Read more »

Stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, the Boreal Forest of North America is a colossal expanse of temperate rainforest covering some 5.6 million km2 and accounts for 28 per cent of the remaining intact forest on the planet.

Tony Benn is just one of the authors supporting the Book Campaign

If you like a good read, you may be unnerved to realise many books have been printed at the expense of ancient forests, and that paper fibre can be the product of destructive or illegal logging. But don't put down your Jackie Collins just yet - the good news is that the publishing industry is gradually getting the message.

The aim of the Book Campaign is to persuade book publishers to introduce paper procurement policies which commit the company to only using ancient forest friendly paper - that is, paper that has a high recycled content with any virgin wood pulp it contains certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

As the largest remaining rainforest on the globe, the Amazon rainforest is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. It is vast, stretching across 7.8 million km2, 5 per cent of the Earth's surface and several South American countries. However, over 60 per cent lies within Brazil's borders, and it's here that we're focusing our efforts to protect this rainforest.