VICTORY!
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FOREST CONSERVATION NEWS TODAY
Boise-Cascade to Stop Old-Growth Logging in U.S.
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Forest Networking a Project of Forests.org, Inc.
http://forests.org/ -- Forest Conservation Portal
http://forests.org/web/ -- Discuss Forest Conservation
March 22, 2002
OVERVIEW & COMMENTARY by Forests.org
Boise Cascade, the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) proclaimed
“dinosaur” of the timber industry, will soon halt logging of old-
growth forests in the United States. While I understand RAN’s
reticence in making too much of this victory – the campaign must go on
after all – nonetheless, this is a tremendous validation of our
movement’s efforts and will impact important remaining old-growth
remnants in the United States. Good on RAN, Forest.org’s network
participants and all the hundreds of others that have contributed to
this victory. To Boise Cascade’s claim that environmental pressure
had no impact on the decision: liars! The lack of veracity in their
continued denial of facilitating old-growth logging by distributing
ill-gotten timbers elsewhere in the World will be exposed next.
The fact that America’s old-growth and primary forests have dwindled
to some 2-4% of their original extent is a disgraceful national
tragedy that will have implications for continental sustainability for
centuries to come. The forest conservation movement must commit
itself to not allowing Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Russia, Papua New
Guinea and other remaining large, contiguous forest wildlands to be
similarly fragmented and ecologically diminished. Planetary
ecological sustainability depends upon maintaining large, natural old-
growth forests while benignly and restoratively managing already
impacted forest landscapes. Under no circumstances must improved
industrial forest management practices endorsed through FSC
certification be allowed to ecologically reduce through first time
intensive harvest the World’s remaining forest wildernesses. I remain
concerned that even the most successful and independent environmental
NGOs continue to support forest certification without addressing its
potential to enable increased logging of the World’s remaining ancient
forests.
Improved forest management is welcome in planted and regenerating
forests. But global biodiversity and ecosystem conservation depends
upon maintaining large, non-commercially managed forest wildlands
composed of old-growth and remaining primary forests. Improved
commercial forest management is no replacement for strictly protecting
all the World’s remaining old-growth forests. To ask for anything
less is without scientific merit and is environmental heresy.
g.b.
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ITEM #1
Title: Boise Cascade to stop old-growth logging
Environmental pressure didn't affect decision, CEO says
Source: Idaho Statesman
Date: March 15, 2002
Byline: Ken Dey, The Idaho Statesman
After years of dueling with environmentalists, Boise Cascade Inc. has
decided it will phase out its old-growth harvest over the next two
years.
No formal announcement was made, but the new policy was posted on the
company´s Web site this week.
CEO George Harad confirmed the decision Thursday.
For nearly two years, the Rainforest Action Network, an environmental
group, has waged a campaign against Boise Cascade, calling the Boise
company the "dinosaur of the logging industry" for continuing to cut
trees in old-growth forests.
Environmentalists say 94 percent of America´s original old-growth
forests -- with giant trees that can be several hundred years old --
have already been lost, and that the rest should be preserved to
protect biodiversity and ensure the survival of creatures such as
spotted owls.
But Harad said the company´s decision wasn´t based on pressure from
environmentalists.
"They can say whatever they´re going to say," Harad said. "Our
decision had much more to do with the direction the Forest Service is
going and the sales that would be offered."
He said that given the current direction of federal forest policy,
which already was phasing out old growth sales, the company decided
the time was right to start to phase out old-growth harvesting.
"We will fulfill what contracts we have, but in 18 to 24 months, we
will be completely out," he said.
Harad said old-growth trees accounted for only about half of 1 percent
of the company´s total timber harvest last year.
"It´s not material to our operations," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Rainforest Action Network -- known as RAN by
timber industry officials and environmentalists -- said that despite
the company´s decision, the campaign against Boise Cascade would
continue.
"We´re not buying it," Jennifer Krill, RAN´s old-growth campaign
director, said of the company´s decision. "Honestly, we don´t think it
represents any meaningful change."
Krill said eliminating old-growth harvesting in the United States is
only one of several goals her group has in its campaign against Boise
Cascade.
Krill maintains that Boise Cascade is guilty of buying and
distributing old-growth forest products from endangered old-growth
forests throughout Canada, Central and South America and Southeast
Asia.
Boise Cascade denies those allegations.
Harad said Boise Cascade would be willing to sit down and try to come
to a compromise with the Rainforest Action Network if the group would
admit it has been spreading false allegations about the company.
"Our view is unless we can put a stop to that, and they admit the
statements are false, there is no basis to build a relationship,"
Harad said.
Krill said her organization stands by its claims. She said the company
could resolve many of them if it would adopt a "chain of custody"
policy that would allow any customer who buys a product to know
exactly where the raw materials for that product came from.
"Without a chain of custody, there´s no way of knowing if they are
telling the truth," Krill said.
A company spokesman, Mike Moser, said the "chain of custody" issue
wasn´t even mentioned in the first set of demands RAN gave to Boise
Cascade nearly two years ago.
The battle between the Rainforest Action Network and Boise Cascade
shows no signs of abating. Krill said her organization continues to
target Boise Cascade customers, urging them to confront Boise Cascade
on the old-growth issue.
Recently, Boise Cascade lost a contract with Kinko´s, the world´s
largest copy center chain. RAN leaders said Boise Cascade lost the
contract because its position on old-growth forest practices didn´t
comply with Kinko´s environmental position. Kinko´s officials haven´t
commented on why the company lost the contract, but Harad insisted
it had nothing to do with old growth.
"That´s not true," Harad said, adding that the company lost a
competitive bid with its competitor, International Paper, for Kinko´s
business. Harad said the company wins and loses bids all the time,
and the loss of Kinko´s is not expected to have any serious effect on
the company.
And given current conditions, Boise Cascade´s decision to end old-
growth harvesting is an easy one, said Jay O´Laughlin, a professor of
forest resources at the University of Idaho.
During the 1990s, O´Laughlin said, timber sales in Idaho and the West
declined by 80 percent, and most sales that are offered now -- whether
they include old growth or not -- are routinely appealed by special-
interest groups.
"The extent that old-growth timber has been put up for sale is the big
question," O´Laughlin said. "I would be very surprised if the Forest
Service is advertising any timber sales in old-growth."
Because of the minuscule amount of old-growth that Boise Cascade
harvested, O´Laughlin said, the company´s decision isn´t very
significant.
"My personal opinion is that I don´t think this will help or harm them
to make a statement like that," he said.
Harad said Boise Cascade still believes the harvesting of old-growth
timber can be beneficial to a forest´s health, but he admitted that it
was very difficult to explain the importance of such harvesting to the
public.
O´Laughlin said one of the things that causes confusion with the
public is a lack of a standard definition of old-growth timber.
"Technically, what is old growth?" O´Laughlin asked. "The last time
the Forest Service tried to determine that, it came up with 137
different definitions."
Some use age as the guiding factor; others use a tree´s diameter;
still others identify a particular type of forest and label it old
growth, O´Laughlin said.
To offer story ideas or comments, contact reporter Ken Dey at
kdey@idahostatesman.com or 377-6428.
ITEM #2
Title: RAN's Statement on Boise and Old Growth Logging
Source: Rainforest Action Network
Date: March 15, 2002
Boise's, formerly Boise Cascade Corporation (BCC), new policy to phase
out its practice of logging U.S. old growth forests within the next
two years is incomplete, yet may represent a fundamental change in
direction for the company. In its current form, Boise's policy fails
to acknowledge the logging giant's predatory practices in the U.S. and
around the world.
Boise is not claiming that the policy addresses concerns from the
public and Boise's top customers regarding its controversial
operations. And, in fact, it doesn't.
We believe that the U.S. marketplace will respond positively when the
company completes the policy by pledging to end old growth trading
around the world and eliminate logging on U.S. public lands. RAN
strongly recommends that Boise also adopt responsible logging
practices monitored by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
The vast majority of old growth destruction by Boise is carried out
far from the prying eyes of the U.S. public. Boise's policy does not
affect continued destruction of endangered forests in Indonesia,
Chile, Canada, Southeast Asia and around the world through its joint
operations and distribution of wood and paper products from these
areas. Two-thirds of Boise's revenue is derived from its distribution
operations, and even the most cursory audit shows that large amounts
of old growth wood products from endangered forests around the world
are present at Boise's facilities. By continuing to sell these
products, Boise plays a major role in the destruction of the world's
old growth forests.
Boise's new commitment to old growth forests protection in the U.S. is
based on a definition of old growth forests that is too broad,
allowing widespread logging of old growth stands and undeveloped
forest fragments. Only a year ago Boise demonstrated its fierce
opposition to old growth forest and public lands protection by leading
the charge against the immensely popular U.S. Roadless Policy that
would have protected nearly 60 million acres of U.S. wilderness areas.
Finally, the policy does not require clear "chain of custody"
documentation. Without clear "chain of custody," Boise cannot track
wood products from the forest to the end user. They themselves admit
that it is, "impossible for Boise to guarantee that no old-growth
fiber is used to make our wood and paper products." (www.bc.com, Boise
Environmental Fact Finder, Position Papers, Natural Resources, Old
Growth Fiber). By receiving FSC certification of their products, Boise
can confirm and verify that its products were derived from well-
managed forests.
Boise's policy may represent a fundamental shift in positioning for
the company and we welcome the change. We look forward to Boise fully
addressing the concerns of the public and U.S. marketplace and
adopting a truly responsible forest policy.
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