Tuesday, 15 January 2002
Greenpeace Success for Brazilian Rainforest and Forest Certification
On December 5, 2001 Hamilton Casara, the president of IBAMA, the Brazilian government’s version of the EPA, announced the cancellation of all mahogany operations in the Amazon, effectively preventing any further illegal logging of mahogany in the region.
IBAMA’s decree was the result of an inspection of areas where Greenpeace had discovered illegal logging. The government seized over one million cubic feet of illegal mahogany, the largest volume in Brazil’s history. In conjunction with Greenpeace, they also seized sixteen logging vehicles and issued millions of dollars in fines.
Two logging operations that are in the process of being FSC-certified were excluded from the decree and are allowed to continue their logging operations. The government made certification within the next year mandatory for all forestry operations that wish to continue. Certification is now also mandatory for all operations within 6 miles of Indian lands and conservation areas.
The decree follows a recent suspension of all mahogany operations in Brazil, which was imposed in October, following Greenpeace’s report “Partners in Mahogany Crime" that was delivered to the Brazilian Federal Prosecutor and environmental authorities that day.
For more information see www.greenpeace.org/forests or contact Scott Paul, Greenpeace Forest Campaigner, at 202.319.2469 , or via email atscott.paul@wds.greenpeace.org.