03/09 GP Central America Welcomes MV Moby Dick

[the.greenbase@green2.greenpeace.org]

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Original-TO:      World Press (Green2:Green2:Gnl:INET)
Original-Cc:      The Greenbase (Green2:Green2:Gnl:Main)
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               GREENPEACE PRESS RELEASE
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>> GREENPEACE CENTRAL AMERICA WELCOMES MV MOBY DICK 
TO COSTA RICA 
 
COSTA RICA, March 9, 1996 (GP) The MV Moby Dick arrived at
Golfo Dulce, Costa Rica yesterday. Golfo Dulce is one of the
most beautiful regions of Central America. It boasts of being
the last tropical rain forest between Mexico and Panama on the
Pacific Coast. The strip extends 255 km and contains an
unaltered transition from mangrove to rain forest.
 
During a dockside press conference Golfito, Captain Joel 
Stewart of the Moby Dick stressed the importance of 
protecting this region, saying that there is much Biodiversity
"... so many species that one could hardly ignore the need to
defend it." 
 
One of the highlights of the conference was the signing by
Greenpeace and local organization of a document stating 
considerations and demands to stop environmental problems of
the Golfo Dulce basin. These include:
 
1.The Ston Forestal Project: Two years ago, Greenpeace along
with the locals were able to stop the construction of a chip
mill on a protected area.
Now the company will relocate with less impact. Greenpeace and
the local organizations will be keeping a close eye on the
company's activities - especially on the expansion of their
plantations as well as the port activities.
 
2 Deforestation: In the Osa Peninsula there are still wood
export plans including exports from zones of absolute
protection, like the Piedras Blancas National Park.The signers
demand that the Government revoke all export licenses.
 
3. Certification: In Costa Rica there are several forest
exploits with certification including Ston Forestal
plantations.
 Greenpeace and the locals called upon certification companies
to create a mechanism of true ecological certification.
 
4. Mining with heavy machinery: Gold mining in protected areas
of Costa Rica causes erosion and 
sedimentation in rivers and Golfo Dulce. Currently the mining
extractions have no legal permits.
 Greenpeace demanded an investigation of these cases and
cessation of such activities through better developed control
mechanisms.
 
 Greenpeace also demanded that Golfo Dulce be given protected
status by the Government of Costa Rica.
 
 All the organizations which signed the document are hopeful
that these demands will be heard by government and local 
authorities.
 
 Some other activities which took place with the Moby Dick
visit included Cultural activities in memory of Maria del Mar
Cordero, Oscar Fallas, Jaime Bustamante and David Maradiaga,
four local activists from the Costarican Association of
Ecologists who have died under suspicious circumstances.
 
 Joel Stewart and Gina Sanchez, representing Greenpeace,
planted trees at a local beach where there will soon be a
public park.Local artists read poems written by the four
activists and sang songs.
 
 The MV Moby Dick is here in Costa Rica in part to celebrate
Greenpeace's 25th anniversary. The Moby Dick will be stopping
next in Golfo de Fonseca Honduras, where it will support the 
local activists who are defending the mangrove forests in the
region that are threatened by the industrial shrimp farming
activities. 
 
Local Contacts: Elmer Lopez or Gina Sanchez, GP Central
America ++5022 534181. 

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