Misleading False Information about Mahogany Logging Circulating
7/28/98
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Title: Misleading False Information about Mahogany Logging Circulating
Source: Roberto Smeraldi
Coordinator, Friends of the Earth
Status: Distribute and reprint freely
Date: 7/28/98
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
I would like to inform you that today, July 28, some mistaken and
seriously misleading information was published on some Brazilian
newspapers, and might be further circulated by other media world-wide.
Such articles allege that the Brazilian government would have suspended
for two years the logging of mahogany. This is completely false. The
Brazilian government merely renewed for two more years the existing rule
which does not allow for issuing NEW AUTHORIZATIONS FOR LOGGING
including MAHOGANY. This means that mahogany logging can continue, as up
to now, with existing authorizations.
It should also be noted how existing authorizations already account for
a volume of mahogany which is much higher than the total current demand
from both domestic and foreign markets. Also, continuing not to grant
any new authorization is barring from the market those new firms which
obtained (or are in the process to obtain) forestry certification. In
the meanwhile, those 5 firms which control 81% of mahogany logging can
continue to operate, mostly in an illegal form. Therefore, we are
concerned by the very negative effects of this decision.
Yours sincerely,
Roberto Smeraldi
Coordinator, Friends of the Earth