Rainforest Action Network: Forests

Forests

Forests provide homes and habitat for countless plant and animal species as well as for Indigenous communities. They also serve as a key defense against global warming by storing massive amounts of carbon. The world’s rainforests -- which are being cleared to accommodate the rapid expansion of soy and palm oil plantations by U.S. agribusinesses -- help regulate the planet's weather cycles by circulating wind and water vapor outward from the tropics. Canada’s Boreal forest, North America's largest intact pristine forest, is being threatened by rampant industrial activities such as clear-cut logging and unchecked resource extraction. RAN is working to protect global forests and the communities that depend on them.

Protect tropical ecosystems

Protecting tropical rainforests, which are home to more biodiversity than any other ecosystem, is key to protecting the planet’s health and curbing climate change.

The greatest threat to global rainforests is the rapid proliferation of soy and palm oil plantations owned by U.S. agribusinesses like ADM, Bunge and Cargill. RAN is calling on agribusinesses to protect these vital ecosystems by stopping industrial agrisprawl.

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Don’t Bag Indonesia’s Rainforests

After a campaign by RAN this fall, luxury paper bag producer PAK 2000 announced that they will cut ties with their destructive majority shareholder, Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). Additionally, RAN and PAK 2000 have agreed to work together on developing and implementing a leadership paper policy in the first quarter of 2010.

This victory is a key milestone in our continuing work to protect Indonesia's rainforests and expose one of the world's biggest forest and climate criminals, Asia Pulp and Paper and its parent company Sinar Mas Group. The Sinar Mas group is perhaps Indonesia's biggest forest destroyer, with APP alone responsible for clearing more natural forest in Sumatra than any other company. Stay tuned for what comes next.

Press Release: Packaging Supplier to Fashion’s Finest Rejects Rainforest Destruction

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Buy good wood

RAN encourages wood and paper buyers to understand the origin of the products they buy. Look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) logo as a tool to promote environmentally, socially and economically responsible management of the world's forests.

Beware of imitations. Multinational loggers armed with multi-million dollar Public Relations contracts are pushing imitations, such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), designed to evade higher standards and mislead consumers.

Learn more about certification standards at the links below.

credibleforestcertification.org

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Protect Canada's forests from destructive investment

Canada’s boreal forest is North America's largest intact forest, comprising 25 percent of the world’s remaining original forests. Let’s keep it that way.

Canada's five largest banks – RBC, Scotiabank, Toronto-Dominion, BMO and CIBC – are destroying Canadian wilderness and communities by bankrolling oil, gas and forestry operations that spoil critical habitat for threatened and endangered species; fuel global warming; and contribute to human rights abuses. RAN is urging these banks to adopt comprehensive policies that address the environmental and human impacts of their lending.