From: Gilbert Chudzinski
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Date: Friday, August 24, 2007 8:24AM
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To: Rev. Marguerite Earhart - P.o. Box 313,
Spring City, Pa 19475
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Subject: Re: Please come clean on misguided support for FSC and ancient forest logging!
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Dear Supporter,
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Thanks for your email. Greenpeace is committed to protecting the world's remaining ancient forests and the plants, animals and peoples that depend on them, and is opposed to the expansion of logging or industrial-scale operations in the world's last remaining large intact ancient forests.
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Greenpeace supports the FSC as the only credible global certification system for responsible forest management and labelling of forest products. From FSC's beginning in 1993 we have been working to strengthen FSC through monitoring certifications, investigations and complaints. FSC is an adaptive system that relies on constructive feedback and complaints in order to work - we feel that this is one of it's strengths- one not shared by any other existing forest certification scheme.
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For the last few months we have been researching a number of FSC certifications with a view to providing information that will strengthen the system. The research is not yet completed and is not being suppressed (preliminary findings have been presented twice to large groups of environmental NGOs). When completed later in the year a report of the research will be released. We welcome your interest in the report and encourage you to give feedback to FSC on any FSC certifications you are concerned with. The FSC website can be visited at http://www.fsc.org
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Peru FSC email response
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Dear Supporter,
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Thanks for your email. Greenpeace is committed to protecting the world’s remaining ancient forests and the plants, animals and peoples that depend on them, and is opposed to the expansion of logging or industrial-scale operations in the world’s last remaining large intact ancient forests.
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Greenpeace supports the FSC as the only credible global certification system for responsible forest management and labelling of forest products. From FSC's beginning in 1993 we have been working to strengthen FSC through monitoring certifications, investigations and complaints. FSC is an adaptive system that relies on constructive feedback and complaints in order to work - we feel that this is one of it's strengths- one not shared by any other existing forest certification scheme.
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We have recently received information about the certification of Peruvian company Venao Forestal and have forwarded to the FSC and Smartwood to investigate. We will follow up to ensure the matter is dealt with promptly and with integrity. We welcome your interest in FSC and encourage you to give feedback to FSC on any FSC certifications you are concerned with. The FSC website can be visited at_http://www.fsc.org_ <http://www.fsc.org/>
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Richard Hanson
Web Editor
Greenpeace International
Direct Tel. +31 20 718 2092
Mobile: +31 611 387 410
Ottho Heldringstraat
51066 AZ Amsterdam
Reception: +31 20 5148150
Fax: +31 20 5148151
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I appreciate the response back from Greenpeace, (I always did like them.) and I plan to email back later on to let them know that.
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Copy of my e-letter:
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Rev. Marguerite Earhart - P.o. Box 313,
Spring City, Pa 19475 a écrit :
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Dear Ancient Forest Logging Apologists,
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I am dismayed at each of your organizations' support for ancient forest logging by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). You appear to willfully be misrepresenting your positions as well as ecological science. Please commit to ending ancient forest logging. If not now, when?
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Greenpeace: In your response to our protest you state you are against ancient forest logging, yet support FSC as the best certification program available. As the international chair of FSC you should be aware that much of FSC timber originates in ancient forests logged for the first time, and that future growth in market share of FSC depends upon additional industrial harvest of primary and old-growth forests. Your statement against ancient forest logging, but for FSC certification, is thus inconsistent and intellectually dishonest. We are most concerned by your position of power within FSC, heavy PR rather than reflective response, and failure to see how bereft ancient forest logging is.
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WWF: Your only response to reasonable protest has been stonewalling and one contemptuous reply where you accused us of "spamming" you. The cat is out of the bag, and you disregard legitimate concerns and protest regarding your misplaced forest conservation policy at your own risk. Details of your unseemly relationships with ancient forest logging companies continue to emerge. Could you confirm the extent to which you accept financing from logging companies? Your silence shows your forest conservation (sic) policy to be misguided, unjustifiable and dangerous.
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Rainforest Action Network: You are going to have to choose sides. On your web site's home page you state that you are for both "preserving endangered forests" and promoting "sustainable logging". In terms of primary and old growth forests you cannot have it both ways. What is you position on ending ancient forest logging even if certified as "responsible" by FSC? We expect your organization to protect and not sell-out primary forests.
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The campaign to End Ancient Forest Logging is gaining momentum. We are now bombarding Ocean City, New Jersey with protest emails regarding their use of FSC timbers to rebuild their boardwalk. Please indicate concretely whether you believe boardwalk construction is an appropriate use of ancient rainforests. Will you continue stonewalling and supporting dismantling of the Earth's biosphere, or will you come clean and acknowledge your mistake? The future of the Earth's ancient forests, climate and prospects for global ecological sustainability are in your hands. You cannot win this debate as it is ecological truth that remaining ancient forests must be protected. We will be unrelenting.
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With grave concern,
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Rev. Marguerite Earhart - P.o. Box 313,
Spring City, Pa 19475
United States of America
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http://www.rainforestportal.org/
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Rainforest Conservation Issues
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