Ideas to get you started

You want to get people to help you fight to protect ancient forests, e.g. by filling in a postcard to send to your government? On these pages we have got together ideas and tips on how to have colourful, lively "ancient forest stands", plus exciting suggestions to make to people interested in the ancient forests.

It does not matter whether you organise small events or bigger ancient forest campaigns, if you paint ancient forest banners, model ancient forest animals, write an ancient forest story, draw a picture, build a totem pole, act out plays, organise a raffle, whatever you do - take photos of it and send them to us.

Tips for ancient forest stands
If you just have a bare information table, people will simply walk past it - regardless of whether they are interested in ancient forests or not. They only become curious when there is something to look at and something to do - for example a colourful, loud ancient forest stand with a super banner and exciting action. A few ideas that you might like to take up are outlined below:

• A colourful banner is always important.
• Have the sounds of ancient forests and electric saws going on a cassette.
• Hang a linen cloth dyed green hanging on a washing line, attach soft toy animals, paper flowers, etc., to it.
• Dress up as ancient forest animals, put on make-up to look like one.
• Paint T-shirts with ancient forest designs.
• Make papier-mâché animals and put them on the stand.
• Make a hollow tree out of mâché, paint it, pin onto it pictures of ancient forests and information about them.
• If you know a forester or landscaper, ask him (or her) for tree "slices", paint them on the information stand. They might also give you a small trunk from which the bark has been stripped for you to paint (like a totem pole).
• Build a sculpture of materials and objects made from things that used to be trees (for example toilet paper, magazines etc.) and set up a sign saying, "I used to be a ancient forest tree".
• Paint a map of the world on banners, draw in ancient forest areas and animals, hang it up over your stand.
• Build a totem pole made of stacked cartons and then paint it together.
• Organise a raffle with questions on ancient forest. (Prizes could be, for example, a "green lung for your home" - plant pots with seeds).
• Start a survey of passers-by. For example, your could ask, "What kind of paper do you use? Do you think it is OK for ancient forests to be destroyed to make paper?" etc. Publish the results on your stand.

Taking photos at an ancient forest stand
Paint ancient forest animals on a wall made of wood or cardboard, write a slogan for the wall, e.g. "Protect the last seven big ancient forests!" Cut out a hole for people to put their heads through and take their photos. Collect the photos for the treasure chest and send them to Greenpeace.

Set up an ancient forest embassy
Set up an "ancient forest embassy". Do an "ancient forest ambassador test" on people who are interested: give them information on ancient forests and - if they pass the test - give them an ancient forest ambassador ID card.

Ancient forest theatre
Cordone off a 50 square meter (about 54 yard) area with building-site tape. This is how much ancient forest is destroyed every 10 seconds in the Amazon alone. Attract people with ancient forest noises and friends in animal costumes. Suddenly there is a sound of chainsaws over the area, animals flee, trees topple over. Then comes the rescue. An activist enters the "stage" and puts the trees back up again. At the information stand the audience is informed what they could do themselves to preserve the ancient forests.

Tip:
Dress up as forest animals; carry biscuits or cupcakes with grassy green icing and lists for signatures around in a vendor's tray. Everyone who signs is offered a "forest treat".

Tip:
Set out piles of environmentally sound paper and "bad" paper on your information stand. Shout out the advantages and disadvantages (for the ancient forest and for paper manufacturers) like a market vendor would. Always wear sunglasses when you show the white paper: "Paper for dazzlers dazzles you!" Investigate in shops and copy shops to see whether they sell or use environmentally sound paper - and publish the results on your information stand.

Activity Idea/Photo:
Collect signatures in a colourful ancient forest procession. Back it up with forest noises from a tape, ancient forest banners, waving trees and best of all dressing up as "inhabitants of the ancient forests". Act short scenes, distribute information leaflets, talk to people: "We forest dwellers are losing our home. Please help us!"

(Caution: in some countries, this kind of activity officially counts as a demonstration and has to be reported to the authorities.)

• Should you go from door to door? Never alone, always in a group, and always stay outside the door.
• You don't need any permit to collect signatures. Everyone can sign - not just grownups.
• Do something impressive: Have prominent people sign! Explain exactly what it's all about, who you are, and what is going to be done with the petitions (that you will send them to Greenpeace to be delivered to the politicians).
• Put out petitions in zoos, shops, doctors' waiting rooms, environmental offices, sports clubs etc. Hang up posters at school and put out lists (ask the head teacher for permission).

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Greenpeace Kids for Forests
For more information about the Kids for Forests Project contact your local Greenpeace office. For more information about Ancient Forests visit the Greenpeace website.