Consuming Canada's Boreal Forest: The chain of ... - Greenpeace

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04 Executive Summary Greenpeace Canada plays an important role in the future of the world’s remaining intact forest ecosystems and in battling climate change. Canada’s Boreal Forest is the largest ancient forest in North America and contains much the of the world’s remaining intact forest areas. It comprises 90 per cent of the country’s remaining large intact forest areas and provides habitat for threatened and endangered species such as woodland caribou, lynx, grizzly bear, and wolverine. The forest is home to nearly a million aboriginal peoples—many of these First Nations and Metis are currently in conflict with logging companies and governments over forestry in their traditional territories. Importantly, the Boreal Forest is the largest storehouse of terrestrial carbon on the planet, storing 47.5 billion tons—seven times the entire world’s annual fossil fuel emissions. Intact areas of forest have been shown to store larger amounts of carbon than logged areas and are better suited to adapt to the impacts of global climate change. These impacts on the Boreal Forest are already in evidence in the increase in frequency and scale of insect out- breaks and wildfires. As well, scientists are increasingly worried that, if temperatures continue to rise, causing more forest fires and large-scale disturbance of the Boreal Forest, this might result in catastrophic amounts of carbon dioxide being released to the atmosphere. Unfortunately, the remaining intact areas of the Boreal Forest area are threatened. Large intact forest landscapes make up only sixty-three per cent of the Boreal Forest, with thirty- two per cent of this located in Ontario and Quebec. These biologically diverse and essential areas of habitat for species such as woodland caribou are quickly disappearing at the hands of a number of logging and pulp companies which rely on intensive, unsustainable logging practices. Leading this group of companies are Abitibi-Consolidated, Bowater, Kruger and SFK Pulp and they are profiled in this report. These companies form the first link in a chain of destruction that leads from forest to mill to product manufacturer to retailer to consumer. These companies produce solid wood products, paper and pulp that are sold to customers worldwide. Recent studies have shown that Abitibi, Bowater and Kruger have been responsible for the fragmentation and degradation of massive areas of Boreal Forest. Less than 25.9% of forests in Ontario and 33.7% in Quebec under management of or logged by Abitibi, Bowater and Kruger remain intact. Consuming Canada's Boreal Forest: The chain of destruction from logging companies to consumers
Greenpeace Not only are these companies impacting biodiversity values such as intactness and habitat for threatened wildlife, but there are serious climate change implications to their logging practices as well. Customers of these logging companies sell or consume copy, catalogue, magazine, book and newsprint papers, lumber and other finished wood products. In 2005, the value of exports of these and other forest products from Canada to Europe and the United States totaled CDN$41.9 billion (US$37 billion). They drive the destruction of the Boreal Forest and form an important link in the chain. After all, without demand there is no supply. This report profiles some of those customers, including Rona, Stora Enso, Best Buy, Hachette Books, Time Inc., Lowes, Land’s End/Sears, and OfficeMax. Greenpeace believes that customers of logging companies have a responsibility to protect ancient forests and can play a significant role in breaking the chain of destruction in the Boreal Forest. There is increasing recognition that the marketplace can have a significant impact in shifting the way forestry is carried out on the ground and ending logging in intact forests. Individual consumers worldwide are increasingly demanding products that limit damage to the environment and this concern is reflected in the purchases they make. The evidence for this is seen in the growth of the variety and amount of papers manufactured from recycled and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)–certified materials and from lumber that is FSC-certified. Progressive companies in this regard have adopted strong procurement policies that apply to their global operations. One of the most effective ways to transform the practices of destructive logging companies is for corporate customers to demand responsible forestry certified to the standards of the FSC, and an end to logging in intact forest areas and habitats of endangered and threatened species. They can do so by dialoguing with suppliers and ending purchases of pulp, paper and lumber from destructive logging companies. In the example of Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest in the province of British Columbia, we have seen what power the marketplace can have in protecting ancient forests globally and beginning to transform the logging industry. This same market engagement will shape the future of Canada’s Boreal Forest. Consuming Canada's Boreal Forest: The chain of destruction from logging companies to consumers 05
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Page 8 and 9: 08 Greenpeace Consuming Canada's Bo
Page 10 and 11: 10 Intact Forest Landscapes Other F
Page 12 and 13: 12 Canada’s Intact Boreal Forest
Page 16: 16 Boreal Forest and Climate Change
Page 19: Cutting Down the Boreal Forest Wood
Page 23: Greenpeace Consuming Canada's Borea
Page 26 and 27: 26 The Provinces of Ontario and Que
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Page 32 and 33: 32 Quebec’s René Levasseur Islan
Page 34 and 35: 34 Abitibi, Bowater and Kruger Fore
Page 36 and 37: 36 Generic Chain of Custody Greenpe
Page 38 and 39: 38 The Corporate Customers Greenpea
Page 40 and 41: 40 Greenpeace Lands’ End (retaile
Page 42 and 43: 42 Greenpeace Destruction of the Bo
Page 46 and 47: 46 Breaking the Chain of Destructio
Page 50: 50 Appendix A: Alternatives to Anci
Page 53 and 54: Comparison of the Forest Stewardshi
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Greenpeace Forty per cent of the UK
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Greenpeace Eliminating pulp and chi
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Greenpeace Press, 2007), www.hmtrea
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Consuming Canada's Boreal Forest: The chain of ... - Greenpeace

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