Archive for September 25th, 2009

New York City Activists Unfurl 35-foot Banner on High Line to Protest Park’s Use of FSC-Certified Amazon Wood

From Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet (EI) Contact: Tim Doody: rainforestsny@gmail.com Simon Counsell: info@fsc-watch.org Dr. Glen Barry: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF BANNER: http://RFNY.org http://www.flickr.com/photos/32461153@N08/ September 24th, New York: This morning, environmental activists unfurled a 35-foot banner blocking the iconic view of 10th Avenue from the High Line park to protest the Amazon wood [search] used in the park for bleachers, benches and decking. The banner read, "High Crime on the High Line! FSC Lies: Amazon Wood Is Not Sustainable [search]!" Two New York City-based groups, Rainforest Relief and New York Climate Action Group, coordinated the banner action to confront the "First International FSC Friday," an event held on September 25th by the Forest Stewardship Council to promote their certification scheme. According to Friends of the High Line's website, the tropical hardwood used throughout the High Line was certified by FSC-accredited agencies. The wood, called ipê, originates from primary Amazon forests in Brazil and Peru. Ipê trees are typically 250 to 1,000 years old and grow an average of one or two trees per acre.