GREENPEACE EXPOSES ILLEGAL LOGGING IN THE AMAZON: TOWS LOG RAFT TO BRAZILIAN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY OFFICIALS

18 May 2000

JURUA RIVER, AMAZONAS, BRAZIL -- Greenpeace is today escorting a raft of 271 illegal logs from remote locations on the Jurua River in Brazil’s Amazonas State at the request of Brazil’s Environmental Agency, IBAMA. Now bound for the Villages of Carauari, the logs were first discovered during a routine flight of Greenpeace’s Cessna aircraft on Monday, May 8th. The following day Greenpeace activists attempted to relocate the raft, but it had disappeared. It was later found hidden in a small tributary of the Jurua River and turned over to IBAMA.

"Because there are no approved Forest Management Plans in this area, and because the raft appeared to have been hidden the second day, we knew that there was a high probability of illegal activity, so we returned to investigate further," said Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon campaigner.

One hundred of the logs were Samauma, an enormous and increasingly rare tree called the "Queen of the Forest" by many indigenous people and rubber tappers’ communities. Because of its vast size, the felling of one Samauma tree may damage as many as 30 surrounding trees. In Amazonas State, the Samauma tree is one of the most used species in the production of plywood.

"Not only were the trees cut illegally, but their removal left vast trails of destruction in the forest" said Adario. "Some of these logs measure more than 1.8 metres in diameter, and were very old trees. All of this destruction to produce a few sheets of plywood."

The head of IBAMA/Amazonas, Hamilton Casara, flew to the area on Friday, May 12th, to inspect the raft. Although the Captain of the tugboat "Comandante Edivaldo III", presented a copy of a government-approved Forest Management Plan, he possessed no ATPF (Authorisation for Transport of Forest Products), which is mandatory for transport of timber in the Amazon. IBAMA then confiscated the raft and boat, and requested Greenpeace’s assistance to deliver the logs to Carauari.

"This apprehension is a result of an integrated action with Greenpeace", said Hamilton Casara, head of IBAMA in the State of Amazonas. "In accordance with legislation, the timber will be donated to the community in Carauari. As Greenpeace currently has a ship in the region, we asked for their help to tow the raft to the community." Prior to apprehension, the logs were the property of a local entrepreneur, Ercival Lobo, whose family has been fined three times in recent years for illegal transport of logs. The Lobos regularly supply the multinational logging companies Carolina and Compensa.

"Illegal logging is obviously out of control in the Amazon, said Adario, "And this incident is a good example of how the industry works in collusion to disguise their activities: the papers of the tugboat Captain were from a Forest Management Plan not even remotely connected to Mr. Lobo’s operations. They work like the Mafia here."

"While the Brazilian public opinion reacts to changes in legislation that would increase deforestation, currently being discussed by the Federal Congress, Greenpeace exposes another face of destruction: illegal and predatory selective logging," said Adario. "Instead of weakening the Forest Code, Congress should work on public policies to push the logging sector to adopt sustainable harvesting practices. Without this political will, inexpensive wood from illegal operations will continue to compete with responsible logging from legitimate companies and efforts to adopt sustainable and certified forest management practices will be futile," added Adario.

Greenpeace contends that without certification of Amazon forest products by a reputable institution such as the Forest Stewardship Council (3), both Brazilian and overseas buyers must assume that they are directly contributing to the destruction of this last great tropical rainforest.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Gina Sanchez, in Amsterdam, +31 6 5312 8907 gsanchez@ams.greenpeace.org
- Rebeca Lerer, onboard the Amazon Guardian, +874 323 200 370, or 371

Stills available by contacting John Novis +31 20 524 9580
Video will be available through Lucy Clayton +31 20 524 9509
Follow Greenpeace's Amazon campaign on the web: www.greenpeace.org/~forests/amazon/

(1) With only 160 people covering an area of 1,577,820 km2, IBAMA/Amazonas has one third (1/3) of the needed structure and personnel to fulfil its responsibilities, which includes the control and supervision of the entire logging sector of the state.

(2) Compensa is owned by the Chinese group Tianjin Fortune Timber and Carolina is controlled by the Malaysian giant Jaya Tiasa/Rimbunan Hijau. They are among the top 6 plywood- exporting companies in Amazonas, and sell mainly to the US market.

(3) The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest certification and labelling system was established in 1994 by a global coalition of environmental, social and economic interests, including Greenpeace. The goal of the FSC is to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

(4) This action is part of the MV Amazon Guardian tour in the Amazon region that started March 22nd in Manaus. The ship sailed the Purus River, launching a project with the Deni Indians to support the demarcation of their lands. In the Jurua River, Greenpeace has also announced the successful conclusion of a natural rubber pilot project to produce as an example of the potential for sustainable development of the region.