Organizations Globally Demand Forest Stewardship Council Protect Forests from Genetically Engineered Trees

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), one of the world's largest forest certification organizations, has proposed endorsing field tests of genetically engineered (GE), also called genetically modified (GM) trees, in flagrant violation of its long-existing ban on GE trees. A sign on letter to the FSC [1], endorsed by 217 organizations from 74 countries, demands the organization disassociate itself from any GE tree research activities and continue to clearly prohibit the testing and commercial growing of GE trees.

"It appears the FSC is entertaining this proposal right now because FSC member company Suzano recently received unprecedented approval from the Brazilian government to grow GE eucalyptus trees that have been engineered to tolerate inundation by the toxic herbicide glyphosate, which is a clear violation of FSC's policy against growing GE trees. The FSC leadership should have ejected Suzano from the FSC for violating this policy back in 2015 when Suzano first got a permit from Brazil to grow faster growing GE eucalyptus trees commercially. But the FSC chose inaction, so today communities and ecosystems across Brazil are threatened with the horrific toxic impacts of Suzano's new glyphosate-resistant GE trees." stated Anne Petermann, Executive Director of Global Justice Ecology Project.

Unlike GMO crops, GE trees can live for many decades and spread their pollen up to hundreds of kilometers. They often have relatives in nearby wild forests that could be contaminated by GE tree pollen, with a wide range of possible environmental and social impacts that could increase over time as contamination spreads. Because of the complex nature of trees and forests, these risks are impossible to thoroughly assess.

The sign on letter to the FSC, distributed in English, Spanish and Portuguese, was also endorsed by more than 1160 individuals, including FSC members, foresters, forest ecologists, biologists, geneticists, physicians, farmers, religious leaders, attorneys, university professors and agronomists among numerous others.

Organizations that signed range from international and national forest protection groups, climate justice groups, Indigenous Peoples' Organizations, International aid groups, universities and colleges, Wildlife protection groups, human rights organizations, and GMO watchdog groups among many others

Complete list of organizations can be found with the sign on letters here: https://globaljusticeecology.org/fsc-sign-on-letter-against-ge-trees-english-spanish-portuguese/