Latest News and Press Releases

Several EU countries have changed their position from opposing to supporting an EU-wide ban on such trade, and the majority are now in favour of an outright prohibition..  

.Press Release from Just Forests [...here]

After nearly two years of negotiations on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), the chair, Margaret Mukahanana-Sangarwe of Zimbabwe, told observers this week that a decision to advance “readiness” for REDD could be one of the few concrete outcomes at the upcoming conference in Cancun, Mexico in December.  

.Press Release from Global Witness [...here]

Gardai remove Just Forests coordinator from stageing a one-day fast outside the Zoo to ask visitors to urge Dublin Zoo to adopt a responsible timber policy withour delay.Dublin Zoo should lead by example and imediately adopt and impliment a responsible timber policy to avoid feeding in to illegal logging activities that destroy animal habitats and lead to poverty.

.Press Release[...here] You can influence the Zoo by supporting our FACEBOOK campaign

The Republic of Congo exports more than €250 million annually in timber and timber products, about half of which are purchased by the European Union countries.Press Release [...here]

EU member states import large quantities of illegally logged timber and wood-based products “with complete impunity”, according to Tom Roche of Just Forests, who has been a passionate voice in the wilderness on this issue for years. “An estimated 60 per cent of all tropical timber used in this country is deemed to be of illegal origin.”

Roche went so far as to stage a brief hunger strike to highlight the shameful fact uncertified tropical timber was used in furnishing the public offices of Irish Aid on O’Connell Street, Dublin. He thought it made no sense to dispense aid to developing countries if, at the same time, we’re importing large quantities of illicit timber from them.

According to Irish Times correspondent Frank McDonald writing on Ireland's role in the illegal logging trade.[More here...]

Ten months ago Brazil began implementing its Green Arch, Legal Land program and this year deforestation in the Amazon has dropped by 51 percent. According to INPE, of the 43 municipalities with the highest Amazon deforestation rates, 12 saw their rates decline more than 80 percent in the period between August 2008 and February 2009, and another 18 experienced rate drops between 54 percent and 80 percent. Just Forests welcomes the announcement.

[More here...]

Just Forests welcomes announcement that a Dutch Court is to retry timber baron on crimes against humanity.

Press Release [...here]

Just Forests welcomes announcement that leading retailers such as IKEA and Kingfisher plc, are to form a Timber Retail Coalition. Press Release [...here]

Manaus, Brazil – James Cameron, Director of Avatar held a press conference on Wednesday, March 31 at 10 am at Hotel Tropical to report back on his experience of a three-day visit to the Big Bend region of the Xingu River, site of the proposed Belo Monte Hydroelectric Dam project. . [Press Release...here]

Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) today welcomed a move by Madagascar's transitional government to reinstate a ban on logging and export of rosewood, but warned that the ban must be strictly enforced and that existing timber awaiting export should be dealt with in an open and transparent way. [Press Release...here]

Just Forests in association with Dublin Zoo are delighted to inform you that the Wood of Life -a hands-on exhibition on forests and wood, will be on display at Dublin Zoo for the month of April 2010. Dublin Zoo is a fitting venue for this exhibition considering the Zoo's own mission. It is also most fitting as 2010 is the UN-designated International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). The Wood of Life has something for everyone so please do come along and discover a wonderful world of wood. Workshops for schools (primary, secondary and transition) will be provided. Please book your slot as soon as possible -no charge.[More about this very educational exhibition...here] [Press Release...here]

Switch off your lights for one hour. That is all it takes for you to partipate along with millions of people in the single largest mass statement on climate change and be part of WWF's Earth Hour.

Top experts attending the ongoing meeting of the triennial general assembly of The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will consider how best to regulate trade in wild plants and products such as musical instruments, cancer medicines, lipsticks, emulsions, polishes, gums, cosmetics, perfumes and many other products containing wild plants protected by CITES.

. Download report [here...]
Then read more about this fascination wood - Lignum Vitae and why it should be protected [here...]

2010 has been declared the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) by the United Nations – the year that celebrates the diversity of life on Earth, including every plant, animal and micro-organism. We are now three months into the IYB and here in Ireland the destruction of our wildlife corridors, namely hedgerows, continues unabated in the name of ‘progress’. Here in Offaly, from Rhode to Moneygall, the on-going removal of hedgerows is continuing at an alarming rate.. Download article [here...]

Redefining plantations as forests will create perverse incentives that actually finance deforestation by oil palm plantation companies.
Environment ministers from more than 100 countries meeting this week in Bali must oppose initiatives from Indonesia and the EU to reclassify oil palm plantations as forests(1), which would subvert global efforts to halt climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and threaten biodiversity, according to forest and climate experts from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance (ECA).
Download ECOSYSTEMS CLIMATE ALLIANCE' Press Release [here...]

Consumer countries contribute to the problems of illegal logging by importing timber and wood products without ensuring that they are legally sourced. Over the last few years, however, consumer countries have taken a series of measures to try to ensure that they exclude illegal timber products from their markets. Download report [here...]

For the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB), IUCN/COUNTDOWN 2010 will promote our Wood of Life exhibition on a ‘what can you do for IYB’ page. This page enables visitors to vote for projects that best address public awareness and biodiversity conservation actions. http://www.countdown2010.net/year-biodiversity/what-can-you-do/browse_share_vote.

The future regulation is aimed at minimizing the risk of placing illegally harvested timber and timber products on the EU market. The new rules are intended to be based on the due diligence system, enabling operators to track the timber and timber products, to have access to information concerning compliance with the applicable legislation and to manage the risk of placing illegally-logged timber products on the European market. [more...] [Just Forests Press Release]

"We need younger people in Ireland to be advocates for global development and by participating at this exhibition and sharing your experience afterwards you are helping to create a positive momentum for change." To download the full text of Minister Martin's speech and see pictures of the opening please click [Here...]

Letters to the Editor on Ireland's abuse of water [Irish Independant Letters page]

A Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) of the Proposed Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council laying down obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market has been carried out by the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and can be viewed on the website www.agriculture.gov.ie. The RIA can be viewed by clicking on legislation on the top of the websites home page.

Or if you prefer you can download the report from our website [here.. cover letter...and ...report...and our own submission] 

Climate negotiations in Copenhagen have yielded a sham agreement with no real requirements for any countries. This is not a strong deal or a just one -- it isn't even a real one. [More here......]

[Download the 2009 Winter issue of Focus Magazine here...]

This and past issues of Comhlamh's very popular and informative magazines can be downloaded from their website [here......]

Illegal Malagasy timber trade worth up to $460,000 a day. A new report by Global Witness and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has revealed the extent of illegal logging in the National Parks and protected areas of the SAVA Region of Madagascar. Members of the Forest Administration, the national police and other Malagasy authorities are accused of serious failings, and in some cases, complicity with the traffickers. [Download report]

30th November 2009-TIME Magazine article...

Forests store an estimated 300 billion tons of carbon, or the equivalent of 40 times the world's total annual greenhouse-gas emissions — emissions that cause global warming. Destroy the trees and you release that carbon into the atmosphere, putting the great challenge of our age — averting catastrophic climate change — beyond reach. Forest destruction accounts for 15% of global emissions by human activity, far outranking the total from vehicles and aircraft combined. [Read more in TIME Magazine...]

Daylight robbery played out in Paris

.I was there to witness and support the press announcement of the lodgement of a complaint by Global Witness before a French Public Prosecutor against one of the world's leading timber and wood products wholesalers.... [Read more...]

Also appears in The Irish Examiner on Monday 30th November 2009 [here...]

Floods of money for NAMA.

As a young boy holidaying on my uncle’s small farm in Rhode, Co Offaly, I often accompanied him as he cleared overgrowth and silt build-up from the drains and streams around his land. He was a part-time canal ranger with the Grand Canal Company and was responsible for inspecting... [Read more...]

The role of indigenous and black groups in preserving this valuable ecological resource ...The vast majority live in poverty and endure discrimination. [Read more...]

 SEAL THE DEAL - Taoiseach Just Forests has just launched a nationwide campaign to get Irish Schools to write to the Taoiseach and encourage him to go to the crucial Climate Change negotiations to be held in Copenhagen in December. The group is asking all schools to visit the link below and ‘sign-on’ to the “SEAL THE DEAL” campaign for a ‘Change in Climate’ before it’s too late http://www.justforests.org/seal_the_deal.php

In December, leaders from more than 180 nations will meet in Copenhagen to ratify a new international global climate treaty. Show your support by joining, an international movement to drive action at the United Nation's Climate Change Conference (COP15) in Copenhagen. "We need a climate treaty that is ambitious, fair and effective and will make a REAL difference to people's lives all over the world by reducing emissions," according to Tom Roche of Just Forests.

 Sustainable Global Development 2009 is a major internationalconference, supported by Irish Aid, which will be held in the University of Limerick on the 16th and 17th of October, 2009. It will include papers, symposia, educational workshops, and audio-visual presentations with presenters from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and from Europe.

[Conference Website] [Download Programme]

A seven-year project managed by The Forest Trust (TFT ) that commenced in March 2005 and that is co-funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Commission. Partners work together to ensure timber purchasing policies are consistent with government and FLEGT requirements, sending one clear message to timber producers around the world and facilitating responsible trade.  

[Report & pictures by Just Forests]

This WRM bulletin is a contribution to the activities to be carried out on September 21st 2009 - International Day Against Tree Monocultures. It is important to stress that the choice of this date is rooted in peoples’ struggles against plantations. The date was first chosen by local networks in Brazil, who in 2004 decided to establish this date as a day of struggle against tree monocultures.  

[Read more]

After gas and oil, wood is probably the second largest traded natural resource in the world today. In order to promote the security and supply of natural assets/resources such as fresh water, timber, biodiversity, etc, which form a major part of the economic backbone of all economic development, a Natural Assets Monitoring Authority (NAMA-2), needs to be set up in countries across the globe including Ireland. We must recognise that biological diversity (which includes all living things) represents the natural wealth of the Earth. It provides the basis for life, economic development and prosperity for the whole of mankind.

Tom Roche, Co-ordinator, Just Forests

In order to promote the security and supply of natural assets/resources such as fresh water, timber, biodiversity, etc, which form a major part of the economic backbone of all economic development, we are calling for a new Natural Assets Monitoring Authority (NAMA-2) to be set up by government immediately.

[Read more] Agriculture correspondant Joe Barry and the NAMA 2 idea [Irish Independent Tuesday 06 October 2009]

Protests by the Penan tribe in Borneo have escalated, with twelve villages coming together to mount new road blockades against the logging and plantation companies that are destroying their rainforest.

Journalists covering at the blockades were intercepted by police with machineguns and taken away for questioning.

Hundreds of Penan have blocked roads at three new locations in the interior of Sarawak, in the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo. The protestors are demanding an end to logging and plantations on their land without their consent, and recognition of their land ownership rights.

[Read more]

Just Forests have made a Submission Regarding the Consultation on a European Commission Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, laying down the obligations of operators who place timber and timber products on the market This submission is based on the EC Regulation, not on the current version of the Regulation, as voted by the European Parliament.

Illegal-logging submission [Download]

Just Forests have made a formal complaint to the European Commission for Consumer Affairs on the widespread availability of illegal timber in Ireland

• Cover letter to the Consumer Affairs Commissioner [Download]
• Formal Complaint to Consumer Affairs Commissioner [Download]
• Historic/background to backup this Formal Complaint [Download]

Irish consumers are un-knowingly contributing to global forest decline by purchasing timber and wood-products made from illegal timber. Just Forests has submitted a detailed report to the National Consumer Agency and the Department of Foreign Affairs calling on them to protect consumers from this practice.

• Cover letter [Download]
• Formal submission – Bridging the Gap [Download]
• Historic/background to backup this Formal Complaint [Download]

Just Forests have made a formal complaint to the European Commission (EC) on the on-going and widespread use of illegal Timber in Ireland. Reference is made to examples of illegal Timber use by public bodies in Ireland and includes: Offaly Co Council, Westmeath Co Council, Irish Aid and the EC office in Molesworth Street, Dublin.

• Cover letter to DG-Environment [Download]
• Formal Complaint to DG-Environment [Download]
• Historic/background to backup this Formal Complaint [Download]

I am afraid your Wood Marketing Federation (WMF) “approach” needs updating now as the state of the world’s forests has deteriorated even more since you began drafting your “own policy position in 2007.”

Industrial logging under the guise of “Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)” is a major source of carbon emissions, a primary driver of deforestation and threatens to derail the UN process to reduce deforestation, according to a new report released by leading environmental NGO, Global Witness, at the UN Climate Change talks in Bonn, in June 2009...report available here...

The use of illegally-logged tropical timber is rampant in Ireland and I have seen many people in a position to do something about it sit-on-their-hands and ignore the problem thinking it will go away-well it won’t, at least not until it is seriously tackled. I would be most grateful if you would circulate this report to all your WMF members today as a matter of urgency.

• Timber policy summary points [Download]
• Just Forests recommended timber policy for Local Authorities [Download]

Environmental hypocrisy reigns as we stand to lose more than just forests.

[Read article]

A proposal that the Government should have a National Timber Procurement Policy has received unanimous support from the members of the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. In a presentation to the committee by Offaly-based forest education/awareness group Irish Woodworkers for Africa T/A Just Forests

The chairman, of the Committee Deputy Sean Fleming, T.D., stated “We will comply with Mr. Roche’s three requests. First, we will ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding the FLEGT process. Second, we will ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to ensure that this matter is dealt with in legislation. Third, if Mr. Roche provides a copy of Offaly County Council’s policy, we will circulate it to all other local authorities asking them to consider putting in place similar policies”.

This is a great step forward according to Tom Roche, co-ordinator of Just Forests. “We have been working towards this end for 20 years.”

Just Forests supplied two documents in advance of the meeting for circulation to committee members.

Presentation [Download]
Historical background research to this submission [Download]
The official report of Just Forests presentation to the Joint Committee on Environment, Heritage and local Government is available here...[Read official report]

Just Forests lodges a formal complaint at Mullingar Garda Station against Westmeath County Council's use of illegal timber in NEW Civic Offices.

Formal complaint letter [Download]

After numerous warnings of the consequences of using illegal plywood in their building works Local Authorities continue to ignore findings..

Press Release [Download]
Pictures of Civic Offices under construction [View pictures]

A responsible Timber Procurement Policy for Local Authorities is now available. [Download]
The UK Government are dealing with this issue through CPET...

African countries will be locked into an economic model based on the export of raw materials that could have a devastating impact on forests and wildlife, if new EU trade deals shaped by former trade commissioner Peter Mandelson are signed - according to a new report published by Friends of the Earth today (Monday 20 October 2008)..

[Read more]

In an open letter to Commission President Barroso, FERN, Greenpeace, FoE, WWF and Global Witness express their concern that a legislative proposal to control the import and use of illegal timber, as part of the EU FLEGT Programme, has been postponed again.

[Read more]

The statement maintains that carbon management cannot be separated from the many ecosystem services that well managed forests provide. There is a need for credible and affordable auditing tools to assess and monitor avoided deforestation and forest carbon sequestration. The FSC system provides the context for which carbon management and carbon crediting can be harmonized with other uses and values of the forest.

[Read more]

As illegal-logging and deforestation increases in the Amazon-Just Forests calls on the new Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen to develop a government procurement policy on timber.

[Read more]

This report also alleges that illegally logged timber was used in a number of EU-funded construction projects. Questioning the effectiveness of EU legislation, Anne van Schaik of Friends of the Earth Netherlands claimed the Commission was "not even able to keep illegal and destructively logged timber out of its own construction projects".

[Read more]

By Monte Reel Washington Post Foreign Service; Page A01

[Read more]

24th Session of UNEP's Governing Council/ Global Ministerial Environment Forum

[Read more]

Irish Times article

[Read Article]

The report finds that two projects funded by the Bank since 2002 would have promoted massive industrial exploitation of Congo's rainforests for timber production

[Read more]

The failure of Ireland to do anything proactively on illegal logging and a lack of awareness lands them at the bottom of the league

[Read more]

A huge percentage of Irish children can identify fewer than 10 species of Irish animals and plants but can recognise thousands of commercial logos, a conference heard recently.

[Read more]

The Amazon and DRC possess the two largest remaining tropical forest blocks in the world, and Global Witness believes the world cannot afford to put these global assets at risk by subjecting them to tried and tested theories that do not work. Despite many initiatives surrounding forest law enforcement, timber certification, chain of custody tracking and attempts to ban the trade in illegal timber, deforestation increases every year, with implications that include releasing 18% of total global CO2 emissions - more than the entire global transport sector

[Read more]

(Press Release) Environment watchdog, Greenpeace, Monday in Paris, called for an end to "illegal logging" in DR Congo's forests, describing local wood processing company, ITB, as a major culprit.

[Read more]

At a time when we are all being asked by national and local government to ‘reduce’, ‘reuse’ and ‘recycle’ in order to minimise our ‘carbon footprint’ on the earth and conserve finite resources, Tullamore Town Council has failed to show good example and lead the way in relation to national and global environmental issues. The Council’s use of over 260 sheets of Brazilian plywood in the new swimming pool site hoarding at Cloncollig is morally reprehensible. The plywood is made from hardwood from the Amazon rainforest and its use raises legal, ethical, environmental, social, biodiversity and economic issues that will have far-reaching and potentially catastrophic consequences.

[Read more]

London, UK - DFID's Forest Governance and Trade Programme is a five-year, £24 million programme that aims to tackle the problems of illegal logging in developing countries and the associated international trade in illegally logged timber.

[Read more]

Members of a nomadic tribe who had been preventing loggers from bulldozing their rainforest home for two years have had their blockade dismantled by Malaysian police.

[Read more]