F.A.N. UK

On Monday 24th February twenty activists from Forest Action Network (UK) occupied the London offices of Mahogany importer Meyer International pic.. They demanded that Meyer place a moratorium on purchasing Brazilian mahogany until they physically track each log from it’s source to the UK and thus prove that the timber is both legally obtained and environmentally sustainable. Outside the offices climbers scaled the building to hang a banner saying: ‘If you don’t think, mahogany will be extinct’, while others chained closed the front doors of the office. Employees were offered sticky buns and informed of their company’s likely involvement in the trading of mahogany which has been felled illegally.

There is overwhelming evidence that a considerable proportion, perhaps even the bulk, of Brazilian mahogany has been illegally felled from Indian reserves or protected areas. Activists agreed to talk to Amanda Burton, the Company Secretary, and asked for a ban on mahogany imports until the imports could be proven to be legal and sustainable. Ms Burton said she had not seen the Channel 4 Dispatches television documentary programme ‘The Mahogany Trail’ which shows one of Meyer’s suppliers, Nordisk, trading in stolen mahogany. She agreed to see the video and also agreed to consider Forest Action Network’s position that the listing of mahogany in Appendix II of CITES would not in itself be sufficient to stop illegal trading. Forest Action Network campaigners are committed to a campaign of direct action until they are convinced that mahogany is no longer in danger of becoming extinct.

If you want a Mahogany Information and Action pack or would like to be kept informed of forthcoming actions contact: Forest Action Network (UK) c/o Alternatives, P.O. Box 7, Llangefni, Ynys Mon, LL77 7ZJ. Telephone and fax: 01248 713 604. E-mail: afu01b@bangor.ac.uk