This month’s World Rainforest Movement Bulletin focusses on the International Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantations on 21 September. The Bulletin explains why a campaign against industrial tree plantations is important, includes materials for campaigns as well as news and analysis from around the world about struggles against plantations.
Spain
ENCE loses one certificate in Spain. Soon to lose another in Uruguay?
On 19 June 2008, Spanish pulp company ENCE lost its FSC certification in Spain, when its subsidiaries Norte Forestal (Norfor) and Silvasur had their certificate withdrawn. Norfor manages just over 12,000 hectares of industrial tree plantations in the northeast of Spain and Silvasur has almost 70,000 hectares in Andalusia. Both companies were certified by SGS Qualifor in October 2004. The Norfor certificate was questioned by Greenpeace, WWF, theAsociación Pola Defensa Da Ría, Verdegaia, and Association for the Ecological Defence of Galicia. In October 2007, Accreditation Services International reported that the environmental concerns were justified, and that Norfor was non-compliant with FSC’s Principles and Criteria.
Another NGO quits FSC in protest against NORFOR plantations
Galician environmental group the Association for the Ecological Defence of Galicia (ADEGA) has announced the withdrawal of its support to FSC, at least until the the certificate ofNORFOR, ENCE’s eucalyptus plantation operation, is cancelled.
Call for cancellation of NORFOR certificate
Galicia, Spain: formal complaint submitted against NORFOR and ASI
The Galician environmental group Asociacion Pola Defensa da Ria (APDR) has submitted a formal complaint to the FSC about the certification of plantation company NORFOR and the assessment of it’s certifier, SGS that was undertaken by FSC’s Accreditation Services International. In their complaint, APDR argues that the FSC-ASI report on SGS’s certification of NORFOR is not only of very low quality, but it also fails to address the majority of the criticisms of NORFOR presented by a number of NGOs. Although the FSC-ASI report on the certification recognises a serious lack of compliance with FSC’s principles and criteria, it does not analyse more controversial points such as relations with local communities and benefits from the forests.
‘Low quality’ SGS targetted in Greenpeace protest campaign
As previously reported on FSC-Watch, the certification of the Spanish industrial plantation company, NORFOR, has caused widespread concern, which a recent FSC inspection of the company’s certifier, SGS, has only served to heighten. Despite finding clear non-compliances with FSC’s Principles and Criteria, the certificate remains in place.
NORFOR, Spain: FSC confirms that SGS certfied a non-compliant company
At the end of last year, FSC-Watch reported on the certification of the Galician plantation company, NORFOR. The company has been the source of much controversy and opposition from local people. Following an investigation into NORFOR’s certifier, SGS, FSC’s own Accreditation Services International has now reported that environmental concerns were justified, and that the company was non-compliant with FSC’s Principles and Criteria.
Green groups demand cancellation of certificates in Galicia and Uruguay
From the galician ecologist movement to the FSC:
FSC-Watch 