Feature story - March 18, 2014
10 Greenpeace activists and a group of volunteers transformed the iconic Mount Royal Cross into immense scales of justice representing the imbalance between the destructive practices of Canada’s largest logging company, Resolute Forest Products, and the defenseless Boreal Forest.
Iconic Mount Royal Cross transformed into giant scales of justice to call for the need to bring the balance back to the Boreal Forest.
Two giant scales were suspended from the arms of the cross: the heavy side with Resolute’s logo, and on the lighter side, trees representing the forest and the communities and wildlife that depend on it. On the vertical section of the cross, a 12 meter banner asks the question: “Justice?”
“Today we’re seeking to restore a healthy balance in the Boreal by standing up for the future of the forest and against Resolute’s destructive logging practices,” said Nicolas Mainville, Quebec director for Greenpeace Canada. “Resolute is responsible for logging in First Nations’ territory without consent and destroying critical caribou habitat.” .”
In the Montagnes Blanches “Endangered Forest” in Quebec, Resolute is operating in First Nations’ traditional territory without consent. In both Quebec and Ontario, despite scientific recommendations, the company uses trees from the habitat of threatened woodland caribou herds. A growing number of major forest conservation organizations have suspended work with Resolute because of its unwillingness to do even the “minimum” required by science in terms of conservation.
In January, due to these types of destructive practices, Resolute lost three of its Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificates, covering an area 127 times larger than the city of Toronto. The FSC is a key component of the marketing of the company’s pulp, paper and lumber products.
“We, with over 50,000 people, are asking Resolute to take a different approach - to work with Greenpeace towards solutions that benefit communities, workers and wildlife and appeal to the growing market demand for green products,” said Mainville. “It’s time for Canada’s largest forest company to become a responsible leader in the production of sustainable paper and lumber products.”
For more information on the #StandForForests campaign visit www.standforforests.ca.