Protect Orangutan's Indonesian Rainforest Home
by Forests.org
September 29, 2004
TAKE ACTION
http://forests.org/action/indonesia/
Illegal logging of ramin, a giant tree that lives in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia, is decimating Indonesia's rainforests and destroying the habitat of the highly endangered orangutan, threatening Asia's largest primate with extinction. While the orangutan (“person of the forest” in Malay) is a protected species, ramin, its habitat, is not. Even though some rainforest areas containing ramin are formally protected, they are subject to extensive illegal logging and overexploitation. Ramin is smuggled from Indonesia to Malaysia and then to manufacturers, eventually becoming baby cribs, as well as pool cues, venetian blinds and picture frames. In order to stop the tide of illegal logging, Indonesia has proposed to have ramin placed on Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Fauna and Flora Species (CITES) this October. By placing ramin on Appendix II, Indonesia would be strengthening international efforts to stop the trade in illegal ramin products. It is critical that CITES members, including the U.S., which imports ramin wood products, vote in favor of this proposal. U.S. officials have not yet indicated whether they will support Indonesia's proposal. You can help them make up their minds at http://forests.org/action/indonesia/ .
Networked by Forests.org, Inc., gbarry@forests.org
September 29, 2004
TAKE ACTION
http://forests.org/action/indonesia/
Illegal logging of ramin, a giant tree that lives in the tropical rainforests of Indonesia and Malaysia, is decimating Indonesia's rainforests and destroying the habitat of the highly endangered orangutan, threatening Asia's largest primate with extinction. While the orangutan (“person of the forest” in Malay) is a protected species, ramin, its habitat, is not. Even though some rainforest areas containing ramin are formally protected, they are subject to extensive illegal logging and overexploitation. Ramin is smuggled from Indonesia to Malaysia and then to manufacturers, eventually becoming baby cribs, as well as pool cues, venetian blinds and picture frames. In order to stop the tide of illegal logging, Indonesia has proposed to have ramin placed on Appendix II of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Fauna and Flora Species (CITES) this October. By placing ramin on Appendix II, Indonesia would be strengthening international efforts to stop the trade in illegal ramin products. It is critical that CITES members, including the U.S., which imports ramin wood products, vote in favor of this proposal. U.S. officials have not yet indicated whether they will support Indonesia's proposal. You can help them make up their minds at http://forests.org/action/indonesia/ .
Networked by Forests.org, Inc., gbarry@forests.org
Starmail - 1. Okt, 23:22
