ACTION
ALERT
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WORLDWIDE
FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS
Help
Halt Illegal Trade of Mahogany
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Forest
Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises
10/2/96
OVERVIEW
& SOURCE by EE
Rainforest
Action Network calls for a listing of Mahogany in Appendix II of
the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.(CITES) This
would
follow up on the recently declared Brazilian government two-year
moratorium
on new mahogany concessions. Illegal
logging of mahogany
remains
a driving force in Amazonian rainforest destruction.
g.b.
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TEXT STARTS HERE:
Halt
Illegal Trade of Mahogany
Rainforest
Action Network Urgent Action Alert
10/2/96
Deadline:
October 11
RAN has
been tremendously effective in protecting the world's rainforests
from
the devastating impacts of mahogany logging, thanks to our efforts and
our
partnerships with activists like you. We knew that our stand against
illegal
mahogany logging would pay off. We just had no idea that it would
be so
soon! When the Brazilian government declared a two-year moratorium on
new
mahogany concessions in July, we took a tremendous step forward. Now,
we have
a chance to curtail illegal mahogany logging forever with the
listing
of mahogany in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade
in
Endangered Species.(CITES)
CITES
is an international treaty, adopted by 128 countries, which regulates
trade
through three appendices. Appendix II includes species that may
become
threatened if trade is not strictly controlled. The appendix
requires
a government-issued certificate upon export and again, upon
import,
stating that the species was obtained legally and sustainably. An
Appendix
II listing of mahogany would provide an international legal
framework
to shut down the illegal logging of mahogany. A combination of
the
Brazilian moratorium and a CITES listing would impede destructive
mahogany
logging throughout the world.
Due to
unsustainable logging practices, mahogany loggers have significantly
diminished
what once was a vast supply of mahogany in the rainforests of
Central
and South America. Now, they are invading indigenous and protected
lands
for remaining high quality trees. The ecological impacts are
devastating,
and these incursions often lead to violence and murder on
indigenous
lands. With the recent moratorium, the Brazilian government
signaled
to the world its willingness to halt illegal logging and these
gross
human rights violations. Now the international community has the
opportunity
to demonstrate to Brazil and other range states its commitment
to
protect one of the most important ecosystems in the world.
At the last
CITES meeting in 1994, mahogany fell just six votes short of
the
two-thirds majority necessary for listing. Most range states supported
the
listing, but the two largest exporting nations, Brazil and Bolivia,
were in
opposition. This year, a number of environmental groups have again
submitted
a draft proposal to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The
Fish and Wildlife Service will be accepting comments on the proposal
until
October 11, 1996, and will then make a decision on whether they will
submit
the final proposal to the June, 1997 Convention to be held in
Harare,
Zimbabwe. It is urgent that we demonstrate the public support for
saving
the Amazon by calling for them to propose mahogany listing.
What Can You Do?
Please
e-mail the following letter to Charles Dane, Chief, Office of
Scientific
Authority with a copy to Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the
Interior,
requesting that he submit the proposal.
Just follow these easy steps and tell him
what you think.
1. Enter your personal information. Your
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can edit the text.
Recipients:
Name: Mr.Charles Dane
Email
Address: charles_dane@mail.fws.gov
Organization: Chief, Office of Scientific
Authority
Name: Mr.Bruce Babbitt
Email
Address: exsec@ios.doi.gov
Organization: Secretary of the Interior,
U.S.A
Letter
body:
Dear
Mr. Dane,
I am
writing to urge you to propose listing of American mahogany (Swietenia
macrophylla)
in CITES Appendix II at the next CITES meeting. I am deeply
concerned
about the devastating impact of mahogany logging on our world's
rainforests. Mahogany logging is destroying the
Amazon. Mahogany
populations
are in jeopardy because of widespread illegal logging and lack
of
sustainable management of precious mahogany resources.
Appendix
II listing would provide an international framework from which to
manage
these resources. The U.S. can lead the
way to saving one of the
world's
most valuable ecosystems by submitting the proposal to list
American
mahogany in CITES Appendix II.
Sincerely
,
cc:
Bruce Babbitt, Secretary of the Interior
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