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PRESS RELEASE 12 JANUARY 2004 Open petition for the UN condemning genetic engineering of trees Finnish environmental groups have opened an alternative forest forum on the Internet Three Finnish environmental groups, the Union of Ecoforestry, the People´s Biosafety Association, and Friends of the Earth Finland are protesting against the decision made at the UN climate negotiations to approve genetically modified trees as a way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. "This is not the right way to go," says Riitta Wahlström, chair of the Union of Ecoforestry. "We do not need genetically modified trees on the planet, and there are lots of good reasons to reject them." The groups are demanding the UN Forest Forum to reject genetically modified trees by issuing an open petition on the Internet. The petition and the signatures will be presented to the UN Forum on Forests at its fourth session in Geneva next May. The petition condemns the pro-GM decision by the UN for being in breach of the Rio Convention on Biodiversity as well as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Forum for discussing the alternatives Discussions on a global strategy for forests and the situation of forests in various countries will be continued on the Internet. "Since we are rejecting the idea of using genetically modified trees to prevent global warming, this is the time for alternative approaches for silviculture and forestry to be put forward," says Hannu Hyvönen, coordinator for the Union of Ecoforestry, clarifying the reasons for opening the forum. Organic silviculture in preventing global warming To open the discussion on the alternatives of forest management, the People´s Forest Forum website provides a summary of the findings by professor of silviculture Erkki Lähde and his research team. "Our studies show that by applying in boreal forests a model called continuous cover forestry, based on the inherently uneven structure of forests, we can raise timber reserves quite significantly while increasing annual growth, as well," says professor Lähde, explaining the benefits of the alternative model. "Giving up clearcutting and even-sized monocultures would also significantly reduce the cost of regenerating the forests, as well as promoting the protection of biodiversity and multiple use values." Taking a closer look at national forest reports One
of the goals of the Internet-forum is to produce critical material
for the UN Forest Forum, meeting in Geneva next May. The official
reports of individual countries can be found at "After reading the Finnish report I am amazed by the fact that it managed to ignore all the major problems of forestry in Finland," says doctor of forest economy Lauri Vaara, commenting on the Finnish contribution to the upcoming Forum. "I am afraid that the UN Forum will be presented with equally distorted and embellished accounts by many other countries, as well. Instead of creating illusions, what we need is facing the facts and engaging in an open discussion." Member of the Finnish Parliament, Heidi Hautala (green) opened the discussion on the People´s Forest Forum. Supporting the petition for a global ban on GM-trees she writes: -The petition highlights a worrying trend by governments to forget one global task at the cost of the other. In opening the door to genetically engineered trees and exotic or alien species in forestry aiming at storing carbon dioxide as a part of the climate change efforts, they have shown how little their earlier commitments to biodiversity mean. It is necessary to alert the concerned citizens, scientists and civil society groups worldwide.
http://video.elonmerkki.net/forestforum Hannu Hyvönen Hannes Tuohiniitty Riitta Wahlström Leo Stranius
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