In the Forest no-one can hear a Panda scream

Press release from the FSC/World Wildlife Fund reads in part:

“WWF has released a statement on the PEFC governance system and has reaffirmed that “FSC is still the best”. Their position follows WWF’s latest assessment of forest certification systems and concludes that FSC best meets WWF’s core requirements. WWF continues to see credible forest certification as an important tool to promote responsible forest management and purchasing of forest products from well-managed forests….”

http://www.fsc.org/news.html?&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=96&tx_ttnews[backPid]=107&cHash=5f7fb82609

At a recent meeting in London on the subject of illegal logging in the tropical rainforests of the World, the delegation from Malaya gave several short presentations, one from the ‘State’ side detailing how difficult they are finding it to fall in line with the proposed EU FLEG-T certification scheme and are thus working hard to create their own forest certification scheme; a lady from WWF Malaya telling the audience how closely they are working with the State to create a workable certification system; and finally a lady (a professor from the University of Malaya no less) who is from one of the minority indigenous peoples of Malaya, from the Island of Sarawak, who showed devastating slides of the rape of the forest on her island.

Having listened intently to the whole presentation I asked first Dr. Ramy Bhulan of Sarawack if her pictures of devastation were taken to show the extent of illegal logging or whether this was state sponsored terrorism. Her reply was brief and to the point: The logging and consequent destruction of the island was state approved/licensed, and typical of what was occurring, with government sanction in other parts of Malaya.

Next I asked Dato’ Freezailal Che’Yom (Malayan Forestry Minister) and Ivy Wong (WWF Malaysia) the same two linked questions: Did I mis-hear them both when they said that replanting and re-forestation were NOT part of their plans for the Malayan forest certification scheme, and if such was the case, was not a) the Malayan State being somewhat short-sighted because without replanting surely the forests of Malaya (of which only 8.3% are protected as National Parks) once gone, would never return; and if WWF were condoning such inactivity and short-sightedness was this not a gross dereliction of their duty as protectors of wildlife and their natural habitats?

A somewhat peeved Dr. Freezailah retorted that reforestation was NOT part of their plans and had no place in the State scheme, while a somewhat embarrassed Miss Wong for WWF Malaysia had to admit that for their part, WWF were unable to bring pressure on the Malay Forest Service to replant, for fear of being dismissed from the consultation process completely!

If this is the case for Malaya, what credibility does WWF have when it speaks of forestry certification generally? It’s enough for this author to send his little Giant Panda lapel badge back in disgust, as when so many sent their medals and awards back to The Queen in Great Britain when popular music group The Beatles received their M.B.E.’s back in 1965, feeling that their own awards (or in my case now former-membership) had been devalued! 

From subsequent conversations with other delegates at the illegal logging conference it transpired that even the EU had not realised the lack of reforestation clauses in the MTCS (Malayan Timber Certification System), nor yet anybody else. Somehow I think a visitors visa for me to go to Malaya would not be forthcoming, and if I did get there maybe there’s a bullet with my name on it!