Bonn, Germany-A large number of activists today stopped and cut Genetically Engineered frankentrees that attempted to invade a tree planting ceremony outside of the meeting of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).?

"We came here to this event because this tree planting ceremony is
representative of corporate green-washing initiatives pretending to
protect biodiversity," said Peter Gerhardt of the German based group Robin
Wood.  "The tree planting ceremony is symbolic of what industry is
pushing--non-native, often invasive trees for monoculture timber
plantations. If industry has its way, in the near future these will be
genetically engineered (GE) trees for production of second generation
agrofuels or pulp and paper," he continued.


The activists expressed concern about the refusal of the EU and Brazil to
ban GE trees.  "These trees are simply too dangerous, not only to forests,
but also to local communities and Indigenous Peoples who depend on forests
for their existence," stated Camila Moreno of Terra de Direitos of Brazil.


"Already forest dependent communities, especially women, are threatened by
monoculture timber plantations and GE trees will mean more plantations and
an even greater threat," stated Anne Petermann, of Global Justice Ecology
Project, and the STOP GE Trees Campaign. [1] "Imposing a ban on the
release of genetically engineered trees into the environment is the only
sensible position, which is supported by the entire African delegation
plus numerous Parties from Asia and Latin America."


The environmentalists also expressed their concern about the One Billion
Trees campaign of the UN Environment Program. [2] "This campaign fails to
inform people that planting the wrong tree at the wrong place can be
ecologically and socially harmful", stated Dr. Miguel Lovera, Chairperson
of the Global Forest Coalition.


"Companies also want to use GE trees and other tree monocultures for
offsetting carbon emissions," highlighted Ana Filippini of World
Rainforest Movement and the STOP GE Trees Campaign. "The destruction of
forests, which are important carbon sinks, for new tree plantations
releases huge amounts of carbon, worsening climate change. What we need is
forest restoration with native species, not monocultures."


A potential ban on GE trees was discussed at length during the first week
of the Biodiversity Convention and will now move into the High Level
Session where Ministers from around the world will decide what will happen
with this issue.  A decision to stop GE trees is considered critically
important at this time because of the rapid advancement of GE trees
technology, which is being especially driven by the projected increase in
demand for wood that would accompany cellulose-based second generation
agrofuels.


Contact:  Orin Langelle, GFC Media Coordinator, +49 (0)176 771 87583 Dr.
Miguel Lovera, GFC Chairperson, +49 (0)152 225 344787


For photographs of this action and other events during the CBD please go
to: http://globaljusticeecology.org/gallery.php?catID=26


Notes:? [1] The STOP GE Trees Campaign is comprised of 137 organizations
in 34 countries.


[2] The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a major
worldwide tree planting campaign called  Plant for the Planet: Billion
Tree Campaign.


For photographs of this action and other events during the CBD please go
to: http://globaljusticeecology.org/gallery.php?catID=26