Video: September 21st – International Day Against Tree Monocultures!

Note: We released this short 5 minute video on the International Day Against Monoculture Tree Plantations in 2010, but it is as relevant now as it was then.  We dedicate it in the memory of World Rainforest Movement’s Ricardo Carrere, a friend and great leader in the struggle to protect the world’s forests.  ¡Ricardo Carrere Presente!

–The GJEP Team

Southern U.S. States Targeted for Genetically Engineered Tree Plantations

United States–Today is the International Day Against Tree Monocultures [1]. Across the globe, timber plantations are wreaking havoc on forests and forest dependent communities.  Now, to further exacerbate this damage, genetically engineered trees (or GE trees) pose a new and unprecedented threat.

The Dogwood Alliance’s Executive Director, Danna Smith said, “The USDA recently approved a request by GE tree company ArborGen, headquartered in South Carolina, to plant over a quarter of a million genetically engineered eucalyptus trees across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and South Carolina, —many of the same regions still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf oil spill.  This would be another disaster for the region.”

Like kudzu, eucalyptus trees are wildly invasive, and spread into native ecosystems, displacing wildlife. Additionally, the oil in these eucalyptus trees is extremely flammable. California spends millions each year to eradicate invasive eucalyptus because of the threat of wildfires.  In 2009 over 200 people were killed in Australia in a firestorm fuelled by eucalyptus.  It was the worst fire in the country’s history.

On July 1, 2010 Global Justice Ecology Project, Dogwood Alliance, Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, and the International Center for Technology Assessment filed a lawsuit to stop ArborGen’s GE eucalyptus due to their potential impacts [2].

“It’s time for people to understand that GE trees must be banned and that plantations are not forests,” remarked Orin Langelle, Global Justice Ecology Project Co-Director/Strategist.

NOTES to Editors: [1] In 2004, September 21st was declared the International Day Against Tree Monocultures by organizations throughout the world. On this day, people in every continent carry out actions to generate awareness about the impacts of large scale tree monocultures on communities and their environments. For more info, see www.wrm.org.uy

[2]  For background on the lawsuit click here.

Click here to sign the petition to stop genetically engineered trees!

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Filed under Climate Justice, GE Trees, Genetic Engineering

0 Responses to Video: September 21st – International Day Against Tree Monocultures!

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  10. Can you please tell me if there is a list of proposed Alabama counties? Would like to help get the word out in the state from our site.

    Good information, thank you for it.

  11. chiloe

    Since the oil spill in the GOM ive been educating myself as to what is going on under our noses as to the ruination of our planet. When you start searching it makes you want to scream STOP! Today i learned about GE trees . I knew about GMO foods but not trees. I thank God that i bought out the time yrs ago to learn what the bible really teaches and not the lies from those that twist the scriptures. God is the one that will eliminate the root cause of all these problems were facing on earth. HOW? By educating those with the right heart condition, those that want truth and whats right for our planet, animals, humans and by destroying those with evil intent who will not listen but who are driven self interests greed and profit. God is giving us plenty of time to learn the truth and to change our ways before he brings to ruin those ruining the earth. Revelation 11:18 Humans that listen and turn to the true God have the opportunity to live ( forever) on a cleansed natural earth . The way he intended from the beginning. Isaiah 11:9 says They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the ( knowledge) of JEHOVAH as the waters are covering the very sea. Psalms 83:18 That people may know that you whose name is JEHOVAH are alone the most high over all the earth.

  12. JEAN

    no ge trees. stop the ge nvasion. it is being pushed for profiteers, how can that be good for all the people? you know these profiteers are not pushing it for the good of all, they are pushing it so they themselves get rich. it will decimate earth.

  13. Uncle B

    Please! Send GM trees to North Western Quebec, Canada! A population left there by exploiting mining , need sustenance and have little to work with! These hard working folks mined out all the smaller gold deposits and the bigger copper deposits, and now face hardship due to lack of employment. It is nearly impossible for these folks to migrate out of the region – they are restricted by French language education and mostly poor education. The region is too cold for farming and gardening, and grows scrubby trees naturally. Please! Help my people! We go hungry! We have been disenfranchised by the economic system in North America because we have no product! help! Please!

  14. keep earth clear from any GMO

  15. Carol

    This has to be stopped in Florida they should never be allowed EVER because they drink a lot of the water that we can’t afford to lose.

    THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED TODAY AND THAT IS A TOTAL FACT!!!