Greenpeace Activists Served Injunction

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

Press Release: 28 Mar 98

GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS SERVED INJUNCTION TODAY

4 Greenpeace activists who boarded the shipment of ancient
Canadian rainforest timber and pulp on Thursday morning
were today served with an injunction to prevent them from
holding up the ship, the 'Saga Wind'.

The activists, who have spent over 48 hours on the ship's
crane, have brought the threat to the Great Bear Rainforest
on the west-coast of Canada, to the attention of companies
importing ancient rainforest products. The climbers were
greeted by local people as they emerged at the main gate
of the port.

Al, one of the climbers said: "The campaign has only just
begun. The last two nights have been uncomfortable but
have achieved a lot. We have got across our message that
the last pristine rainforest valleys in Canada must be
saved. In the Amazon the rainforests are burning, in Canada
10,000 years of evolution is being clearcut for things
like cosmetics, glue and doors. Its time for the world
to wake up to this ecological catastrophe."

On Thursday night, Magnet agreed not to buy any more products
from Western Forest Products, the company who announced
its intention to blast logging roads into the heart of
the Great Bear Rainforest earlier this week.

On Friday night Meyer International, who own Jewson and
Harcros, agreed to meet Greenpeace this coming week to
discuss the issue. They have assured Greenpeace that they
have no orders with Western Forest Products. In addition,
they have said that there are no current orders with Interfor,
the other logging company threatening the Great Bear Rainforest,
apart from the timber which is currently onboard the 'Saga
Wind'.

Greenpeace has agreed to abide by the court's decision,
but the international campaign to protect the Great Bear
Rainforest continues.

Already a number of major international companies have said
they will stop purchasing timber and pulp from companies
intent on destroying the Great Bear Rainforest. These include
B&Q, Sainsbury's Homebase, Do It All, BBC Worldwide Publications
and now Magnet.

Of the 353 original valleys on the west-coast of Canada,
only 69 remain intact. The majority of these are slated
to be clearcut logged in the next 10 years. The rate of
logging and the rarity of this forest type make the Canadian
rainforests among the most threatened ancient forests in
the world. Temperate rainforests are also home to some
of the greatest and oldest trees on earth; many grow to
more than 100 metres and are up to 1,500 years old. 

The Great Bear Rainforest is also home to Canada's largest
population of grizzly bears and the only population in
the world of the rare white 'spirit' bear. Globally, 80
per cent of the ancient forests have already been destroyed
or degraded and industrial logging is the greatest threat
to what remains.

Notes to Editors: On March 30th, 18 environmental activists,
including Greenpeace members, go on trial in British Columbia
for disrupting logging activities in the Great Bear Rainforest
last year. All face possible imprisonment. At the beginning
of May, Nuxalk First Nations chiefs are also on trial for
the same action.

Stills and video of the Great Bear Rainforest are available
on request including spectacular images from Ian McAllister's
book 'The Great Bear Rainforest: Canada's Forgotten Coast.

Saga Forest Carriers International, the owners of 'Saga
Wind' brought the injunction. 

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org