23 March 2001
Greenpeace targets forest destruction imports to Belgium
The group warns European customers not to buy wood and paper products from the Canadian logging company West Fraser

Antwerp, Belgium - Greenpeace activists protested in the port of Antwerp against the discharge of paper products made from Canadian rainforest destruction. The ship, the Teal Arrow, is unloading over 3600 metric tonnes of paper products from the Canadian logging company West Fraser, which is involved in the destruction of the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia.

While workers were unloading the Teal Arrow, Greenpeace activists placed a 15-meter chainsaw next to the ship.

Greenpeace is advising customers to end their commercial relationship with West Fraser until the company commits to a logging moratorium in critical rainforest valleys. The event is part of a worldwide Greenpeace campaign to stop logging companies from destroying the Great Bear Rainforest.

West Fraser destroys approximately 700 hectares of Canada's rainforest every year, the equivalent of about 1000 football pitches. They currently hold the logging rights to 15 critical rainforest valleys in the Great Bear Rainforest.

In May 2000, the company walked away from landmark discussions with BC environmental groups and other logging companies after secretly selling the logging rights to six of its pristine areas. This was at the same time that it promised Greenpeace and others that it would consider deferring logging in these areas.

The future of the remaining 15 pristine areas remains in jeopardy as long as West Fraser Timber continues to lay plans to log these last pristine rainforest valleys. Rainforest fibre from the area ends up in pulp and paper products produced at West Fraser's Eurocan mill. The mill produces over 300,000 tonnes of linerboard which is used for corrugated shipping containers, and over 100,000 tonnes of Kraft paper, which is used for industrial strength paper bags for holding a wide variety of products including concrete, potatoes and flour.

"Europe simply doesn't need to import rainforest destruction," said Filip Verbelen, of Greenpeace Belgium. "We call on all European pulp and paper importers to stop contributing to the destruction of the Great Bear Rainforest and not buy any more products from West Fraser until the company places critical rainforest valleys in a logging moratorium."

The Great Bear Rainforest that is home to grizzly bears, wild salmon and trees over 1,000 years old. Greenpeace is campaigning worldwide to save the world's last remaining ancient forests.