A programme this week on AlJazeera’s People and Power reports on destructive logging in Latvia – including the fact that FSC-certified Latvian timber is still on sale in the UK, despite the fact that the FSC certified was suspended on 16 July 2010.
High Conservation Value Forests
FSC and logging of old-growth forests
On 28 September 2010, Ecological Internet issued the action alert below. So far, people from 69 countries have sent 3,654 protest emails – to join in, visit Ecological Internet’s website.
FSC’s credibility in Sweden takes another pounding with new Greenpeace report
Greenpeace has released a new report detailing major problems and non-compliances in FSC certifications in Sweden.
Another formal complaint against SCA’s clearcuts in Sweden – this one from Greenpeace Nordic and SSNC
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) and Greenpeace Nordic recently filed a formal complaint with FSC about the logging operations of SCA in northern Sweden. SSNC and Greenpeace Nordic’s press release is posted below. The organisations are demanding that SCA’s certificate be withdrawn.
Logging at Clayoquot Sound – thanks to FSC
During the 1990s, Clayoquot Sound was the site of the largest anti-logging protests in Canada’s history. Today FSC certification is legitimising industrial-scale logging in Clayoquot Sound.
FSC certification threatens Bialowieza forest in Poland
The Białowieża forest in eastern Poland is the last remaining patch of ancient forest that once covered the Central European Plain. The forest is home to the European Bison, lynx and wolves. Tens of thousands of vast oak trees, up to 40 metres high mean that the timber industry is interested. A small area of the forest is a National Park. Plans to expand the National Park brought conservationists into conflict with local people who make their living through forestry jobs and collecting firewood, fruit and fungi in the forest – the conflict was partly as a result of misinformation spread by state forestry companies.
SCA gets top ranking from WWF
A few weeks ago, FSC-Watch reported that the Swedish Society for Nature conservation (SSNC) had made a formal complaint to FSC about SCA’s logging operations in Northern Sweden. We’ve also raised concerns about WWF’s close relationships with logging companies.
SSNC files formal complaint against SCA’s clearcutting in Sweden
The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation has issued the following press release about SCA’s logging operations in northern Sweden. While this case looks very serious, it is not an isolated incident. SSNC points out that there are several other examples of destructive logging operations, by SCA and other Swedish FSC-certified companies.
SmartWood issues another controversial certificate to Tembec
The FSC certification of large-scale industrial logging operations continues. A year ago, FSC-watch posted a critique of the certification of Tembec’s logging operations in Canada.
British Columbia: “FSC certification is a fraudulent scam”
This comes from Earthtreenews, 27 September 2007:
FSC-Watch 