GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS HOLD FIRM - CAMPAIGN MOVES TO COURTROOM AS GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST BLOCKADE ENTERS DAY SIX

Vancouver - 26 May 1997

Greenpeace activists continue their rainforest blockade on Roderick Island in an effort to halt the destructive clearcutting of the Great Bear Rainforest. The 8 activists have been locked onto the logging equipment for six days.

Sierra Legal Defence Fund lawyers representing Greenpeace will be in the British Columbia Supreme Court at 10:00 a.m. Monday morning. They will be defending against a second attempt by Western Forest Products (Doman Industries) to obtain an injunction in the follow up to the lawsuit filed by Western Forest Products against Greenpeace last week.

The Great Bear Rainforest contains critical habitat for grizzly bears, salmon, marbled murrelets and other endangered species that depend on the temperate rainforest for their survival. Originally in the B.C. temperate rainforest there were 353 large intact coastal rainforest valleys, only 69 remain and the majority are concentrated within the Great Bear Rainforest.

"We're glad to have our day in court - what we are faced with is no less than the virtual extinction of an ecoystem which is an issue of global significance that warrants a public hearing" said Karen Mahon, Greenpeace forest campaigner.

Greenpeace is calling for an end to clearcutting and roadbuilding in the Great Bear Rainforest and a moratorium on logging in any of the remaining pristine rainforest valleys. Steve Shallhorn, Vancouver Greenpeace Office, 253 7701, Cell phone 416-451-9354 Karen Mahon, in court, Greenpeace, 604-220-7701 (cell phone) David Boyd, Sierra Legal Defense Fund, 685-5618

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Steve Shallhorn, Vancouver Greenpeace Office,tel: +1 604 253 7701, Cell phone +1 416-451-9354

Karen Mahon, in court, Greenpeace, +1 604-220-7701 (cell phone)

David Boyd, Sierra Legal Defense Fund, +1 604 685-5618

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