Forests, Trees, and Rainforests - Resources
Sustainable Forestry,  Lumber,  Paper,  Rainforest Issues

AUDIO
      . . . about Forests, Trees, Rainforests

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT, CORPORATIONS — 10.DEC.2014

Democracy Now

The US Role in Illegally Logging Peru's Forests — More than half of Peru is still covered by tropical rainforest—an area the size of Texas—which plays a crucial ecosystem role and is a significant carbon sink. A new report documents how more than 20 US companies have imported millions of dollars in illegal wood from the Peruvian Amazon since 2008. Guest is Julia Urrunaga, Peru programs director for the Environmental Investigation Agency and author of the new report, "The Laundering Machine: How Fraud and Corruption in Peru's Concession System Are Destroying the Future of Its Forests."
Watch  |  Download/listen   6:59

GP comment:  You can see why these logs are coveted—they're huge compared to the re-growth trees available for lumbering in the US. Nonetheless, this is just another example of how most people in the West are fine with not asking too many questions about where wonderful (but illegally sourced) products come from.

Original Show Pub Date: 08.Dec.2014

CATEGORY:  SPECIES, GENETIC ENGINEERING — 04.DEC.2014

Quirks and Quarks

Genetically Modified Chestnuts — A century ago, the American Chestnut was a tremendously important species in the forests of Eastern North America, representing more than a quarter of all forest trees in a swath from Georgia to Ontario. But a fungus introduced on imported Asian chestnut trees turned out to be catastrophic for the American Chestnut, killing billions of trees and essentially wiping out the species by the 1950s. Breeding a blight-resistant tree has proved laborious and difficult, so now a research team has developed a genetically modified American Chestnut that uses a gene from wheat to resist the effects of the fungus. Lead researcher William Powell explains.
Go to page  |  Download/listen   10:08

GP comment:  As GMO applications go, this would seem to be one of the less objectionable ones. But beware anytime a GMO proponent says "this is for the people and for the environment." And Powell's additional assertion that GM technology is more targeted and sensible than standard hybridization is completely specious.

Original Show Pub Date: 22.Nov.2014

CATEGORY:  ENVIRONMENT — 20.NOV.2014

Radio EcoShock

Stolen Future, Broken Present — David Collings discusses the epochal environmental crisis that is unfolding. Climate change is a centerpiece, but this is a many-faceted problem with no easy solutions. Overcoming the psychology that fathered the problem may not be possible, but it's still worth trying. ~~ Then Martin Persson explains how tropical deforestation is still stripping the planet—to provide products for us, the consumers in rich countries. ~~ Finally, Olli Tammilehto asks whether we can we survive a system that rewards the rich with a license to commit ecocide?
Go to page  |  Download/listen   1:00:00

GP comment:  Yep, the problem is one that is internal to the human makeup. It is indeed important that we keep trying to minimize the damage—it will make life more pleasant for longer. But we should always make the basis for discussion facts, not hopium.

Original Show Pub Date: 12.Nov.2014

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VIDEOS
      . . . about Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Sustainable Forestry, Lumber, Paper

FUNNY   SOY STORY This is a cute 4-minute short film about how South American soy plantations are destroying rainforests to supply cheap feed for cattle in the UK (and elsewhere, BTW).  Watch soy plantation/rainforest video.   SERIOUS   THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES In this excellent short film, a man stumbles upon a quiet shepherd who is planting trees—lots of them, slowly but surely. But why? The film has a great animation style, giving the film a warm, intriguing feel and adding to the sense of mystery. The plot pacing ensures the viewer's attention never wanders.  Watch The Man Who Planted Trees See all  videos on forests and trees

MOVIES
      . . . about Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Sustainable Forestry, Lumber, Paper

Man Who Planted Trees, The (1987)

Animated; Director: Frédéric Back; Writer: Jean Giono

REVIEW: This animated short film is a story about a shepherd's long and successful singlehanded effort to re-forest a desolate valley. The sense of mystery about the shepherd and his unflappable approach to life give the film a warm, intriguing feel, and the plot pacing ensures the viewer's attention never wanders. The animation style is wonderfully blurry and impressionistic, adding to the enigmatic effect. You won't regret giving this film a half-hour of your time.

→ Watch this movie about forests for free

→ Check out DVD on Amazon.com

Green Chain, The (2007)

Starring: Tricia Helfer, Tahmoh Penikett, Brendan Fletcher, et al

DESCRIPTION: The Green Chain examines a community and a way of life through a series of inter-linking monologues inspired by the true tales and personalities that define today's forests. They all love trees—the logger and the logging company executive; the tree sitter, the tree hugger, and the protester; and the firefighter combating forest fires. The Green Chain explores conflicts between people on all sides of the battle for the trees.

→ Check it out at the film's web site

Grey Owl (1999)

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Stewart Bick, Vlasta Vrana, Annie Galipeau

DESCRIPTION: In the 1930s, upon realizing that the woods of the great north are slowly vanishing, a frontier trapper decides to fight for the land he loves. From the Director of Gandhi and the Executive Producer of Dances With Wolves and A River Runs Through It.

→ Check out DVD on Amazon.com

Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai (2008) (Documentary)

DESCRIPTION: Taking Root tells the dramatic story of Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan woman whose simple act of planting trees—LOTS of trees—grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy.

→ Check out DVD on Amazon.com

→ Watch trailer or get more info at the film's web site

More Movies...

For more movies on such topics, see the following sections of Grinning Planet's movies page:

Forests/Rainforests/Trees

Rivers, Watersheds

Fair Trade

Animals & Species

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ARTICLES ON THIS SITE
      . . . about Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Paper, Lumber/Wood

	BIOMASS AND SUSTAINABILITY   (Wood Resources Article #203)		01-MAY-2009
		BIOMASS ONLY LOOKS GREAT IN A FUN-HOUSE MIRROR Biomass and Sustainability — Why Biofuels Can't Replace Oil
	LOSS OF FORESTS   (Forest Article #186)		22-JAN-2008
		“TOUCAN PLAY AT THAT GAME,” SAID THE RAINFOREST RECREATION DIRECTOR Forest and Rainforest Destruction — Causes, Effects, Costs
	RAINFOREST FACTS   (Rainforest Article #163)		07-NOV-2006
		TARZAN’S LATER CAREER AS AN OPRYLAND YODELER . . . As Well As a Few Real Rain Forest Facts
	SAVE PAPER   (Paper Article #160)		30-MAY-2006
		SWITCHING TO ELECTRONIC COUNTERFEITING ... AND SMARTER WAYS TO SAVE PAPER Save Paper at Home and at the Office
	SMART PAPER FOR YOUR OFFICE KITCHEN   (Article #146)		15-NOV-2005
		GETTING BEYOND “WHO DID THAT TO THE MICROWAVE?” Clean Up Your Office Kitchen – Make It a Green Kitchen
	TOILET PAPER AND ANCIENT FORESTS   (Forest Article #126)		03-MAY-2005
		THE POKER-PLAYING TREE-HUGGER BLEW IT ALL ON A FLUSH Are You Using Facial Tissue and Toilet Paper Made from Old-Growth Forest?
	TREE-FRIENDLY GREETING CARDS   (Paper Article #114)		08-FEB-2005
		“CONGRATULATIONS! ...   ON OVERPAYING FOR THIS GREETING CARD” The High Price of Paper Greeting Cards, Waste, Recycling, and Environmental Solutions
	COFFEE AND RAINFORESTS   (Rainforest Article #112)		25-JAN-2005
		GREAT COFFEE IS GROUNDS FOR A PROMOTION Why Buy Organic Coffee, Shade Grown Coffee, and Fair Trade Coffee?
	GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS   (Environmental Article #102)		16-NOV-2004
		GOOD ADVICE: DON’T BUG THE WEB OF LIFE 10 Threats to the Web of Life on Planet Earth
	RAINFORESTS / PAPER AND LUMBER   (Rainforest Article #84)		27-JUL-2004
		SAVING THE FOREST FROM THE TREES ... THAT LUMBER AND PAPER COMPANIES CUT DOWN Saving Old-Growth Forests Through Smart Lumber and Paper Choices
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BOOKS       . . . on Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Sustainable Forestry, Lumber, Paper

For more reviews or purchase info, click on any title to go to Amazon.com   The Last Forest   The Amazon in the Age of Globalization With a landmass larger than the continental US west of the Mississippi and with the richest diversity of plant and animal species on earth, the Amazon has always struck its explorers and would-be exploiters as infinite and largely impenetrable. But today, as developers and environmentalists clash over the region's future, the seemingly endless forest is fast disappearing in fires, rampant mineral extraction, rogue logging operations, and encroaching urban sprawl. As The Last Forest chronicles the region's transformation, we're stuck with the fundamental question: Is it too late to strike a balance in the Amazon between economic sustenance for the twenty-one million Brazilians who live there and protection for the world's last great forest? (by Mark London, Brian Kelly)     The Smithsonian Atlas of the Amazon This illustrated atlas of the Amazon River and the surrounding rain forest presents full-color maps and nearly 300 spectacular photos. Along the way, the authors explore many intriguing topics such as why some of the Amazon's tributaries have black water, what happens when the freshwater of the Amazon reaches the salty ocean, and why we all should be concerned about the deforestation that contributes to the loss of species biodiversity. (by Goulding, Barthem, Ferreira)     Tree: A Life Story   (by David Suzuki, Wayne Grady) This is a story that spans a millennium and includes a cast of millions. It is the story of a single tree—how the tree grows and receives nourishment, the role the tree plays in the forest throughout its life, the community of organisms that share its ecosystem—all placed in the context of the events going on in the larger world during the tree's lifetime.   Or search Amazon.com for more... Books DVD Video CDs MP3s Electronics All Products

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QUOTES
      . . . about Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Sustainable Forestry, Lumber, Paper

"You hear headlines from time to time about the Amazon [rainforest] disappearing at a greater or lesser rate.... The real story is that over time the rate has stayed just the same. Year after year, decade after decade, we have failed to stop—or really even decrease—deforestation."

— Patrick Symmes, Outside Magazine, interviewed on Living on Earth

"A woodland in full color is awesome as a forest fire, in magnitude at least, but a single tree is like a dancing tongue of flame to warm the heart."

— Hal Borland

"It was strangely like war. They attacked the forest as if it were an enemy to be pushed back from the beachheads, driven into the hills, broken into patches, and wiped out. Many operators thought they were not only making lumber but liberating the land from the trees..."

— Murray Morgan, from the book The Last Wilderness

"A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people."

— Franklin Delano Roosevelt

More funny quotes:

Funny Quotes about Trees and Forests

More...

Forests/Rainforests/Trees Quotes

Habitat & Land Conservation Quotes

Nature/Outdoors/Parks Policy Quotes

Biodiversity / Species, Plants, Animals Quotes

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CARTOONS
      . . . on Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Sustainable Forestry, Lumber, Paper

Grinning Planet Jokes-Cartoons on Forests, Trees, and Rainforests

SOME COMMONLY ASKED WOOD-RELATED QUESTIONS         Semi-Related: Deck Builders' Ads to Avoid

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OTHER SITES AND RESOURCES
      . . . for Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Paper, Wood/Lumber

Forests, Trees, Rainforests, Wood, Lumber
LABELS & CERTIFICATIONS FOR WOOD/LUMBER

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

Certifies wood that has been grown/harvested sustainably

Smart Wood

The oldest label for sustainable wood products; run by the Rainforest Alliance

Sustainable Forestry Initiative

Set up by the American Forest and Paper Association

Industry-backed; more permissive than FSC

Resources for
RAINFORESTS

Amazon Watch

Works to defend the environment and rights of the indigenous peoples of the Amazon basin

Rainforest Action Network

Working to protect tropical rainforests and the rights of those living in them

Rainforest Alliance

Works to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that live within them by implementing better business practices for biodiversity conservation and sustainability

Rainforest Relief

Works to end the loss of the world's tropical and temperate rainforests by reducing demand for the products of rainforest logging, mining and agricultural conversion

World Rainforest Fund

Works to save rainforests throughout the world, with emphasis on the Amazon Rainforest

Resources for
SUSTAINABLE PAPER

Green Press Initiative

Works with publishers, industry stakeholders, and authors to change paper use in a way that preserves endangered forests and resources

Treecycle

Sells environmentally friendly recycled paper products for both home and business.

Forests, Trees, Rainforests - Resources
U.S. FORESTS

American Forests

American Forests works to protect, restore and enhance the natural capital of trees and forests. "We plant trees!"

US Forest Service  |  Document Database

US agency responsible for management of the federal forests

Wilderness Society

Protecting America's Wilderness since 1935 through science, advocacy, and education

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ALSO SEE Labels and Certifications Sprawl Biodiversity, Habitat , Animal Welfare Topics Index Report a broken link    BACK TO TOP