Greenpeace Investigations in Amazon Leads to Historic
Decision by Brazilian Government
From Greenpeace
December 6, 2001
Amsterdam/Brazil - Today Greenpeace welcomed the unprecedented Decree (1) by the Brazilian government to suspend all mahogany forest management plans in the Amazon and take measures to protect Indian Lands and conservation areas. The decision, announced by the President of the Brazilian environmental agency Ibama, Hamilton Casara, comes in the wake of a series of Greenpeace exposés on illegal mahogany logging and trade in the Amazon.
Between September and October Greenpeace exposed rampant illegalities in the mahogany industry on Indian lands in the Amazon. A report, Partners in Mahogany Crime, was delivered to the Federal Prosecutor and the environmental authorities. The report revealed the existence of a mahogany mafia and its links with the international timber trade.
Based on the information provided by Greenpeace, Ibama conducted an inspection of areas of illegal logging, forest management plans and sawmills. In a joint operation with Greenpeace, Ibama seized the largest volume of illegal mahogany logs in Brazil’s history (2).“The illegal mahogany industry has for years been driving the destruction of the Amazon. Mahogany is responsible for thousands of kilometres of illegal roads opening areas of pristine forest to degradation,” said Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon coordinator. ”Today’s historic announcement in effect means an end to the illegal mahogany industry in Brazil.”
The Brazilian government excluded those mahogany management plans, which are in the process of being independently certified as coming from well managed forest operations. In addition, the government made certification mandatory for all management plans which surround Indian lands and conservation areas.
“This sends a clear message to the Amazon logging sector and the market place, that they stop illegal logging and go to certification or they are out of business,” said Adario.
This work is part of an international campaign by Greenpeace to protect the world’s remaining ancient forests. Some 80 percent of these forests have already been degraded or destroyed, and time is running out for the last 20 percent.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
For more information contact:
Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon Campaigner +31 629 001142
Natalia Truchi, Greenpeace International Press Officer, + 31 621 296908
Recent Photos available + 31 629 001162
Video available + 31 653504721
Notes:
(1) Article 1º to suspend all the forest management plans of mahogany, approved by IBAMA, in the States of Pará, Mato Grosso and Acre, excluding the management plans in the course of certification or in a conclusive phase of certification.
(2) In October, a joint operation between government officials and Greenpeace seized a total of 7,165 cubic metres of illegal mahogany worth almost US$7 million on the international market. In total, the government seized approximately 30,000 cubic metres of illegal mahogany, 11 logging trucks, five bulldozers and fined loggers and companies several million dollars."