BACKGROUND
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) bills itself as the “world’s most trusted sustainable forest management solution.” FSC-certified labels inform consumers of the sustainability of the products they buy.
The FSC is proposing to endorse field tests of genetically engineered (GE) trees, despite having a current prohibition on GE trees in FSC-certified products. We must call on the FSC to disassociate itself from any GE tree research activities and continue to clearly prohibit the commercial growing of GE trees due to the threats to our forests and the environment.
The tree plantation industry has been developing both GE insecticide-producing trees and herbicide-tolerant trees. Brazil’s government has recently approved the commercial growing of a GE glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus tree, developed by the FSC-certified company Suzano.
GE glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus tree plantations pose a danger to not only the health of the environment, but the health of plantation workers and the communities that may live near these plantations.
In November 2021, the U.S. EPA released its final Biological Evaluation (BE) of the impact of glyphosate on species listed under the Endangered Species Act. EPA concluded that the herbicide may affect, and is likely to adversely affect, certain listed species or their designated critical habitats.[1] The BE encompassed all registered uses and approved product labels for pesticide products containing glyphosate.
A 2019 peer-reviewed study found that glyphosate impairs the foraging behavior of honeybee workers and has adverse effects at different levels within the colony.[2] A 2018 study found that glyphosate destroys specialized gut bacteria in bees, leaving them more susceptible to infection and death from harmful bacteria.[3] A 2015 study found that exposure to relatively low doses of glyphosate hindered bees’ ability to navigate back to the hive.[4] A 2014 study found that the “appetitive behavior” of honeybees — including how well they could detect sucrose and their ability to learn and remember where food sources were located — was significantly diminished after exposure to doses of glyphosate commonly found in farmlands.[5]
Glyphosate doesn't just affect important pollinators such as bees. Over 200 studies implicate glyphosate in harms to other living organisms, including aquatic organisms, fish, birds, and humans, and to soil health.[6][7] The current use of glyphosate in agriculture is already at dangerous levels. There is no scenario where mass glyphosate use on GE eucalyptus tree plantations could be considered sustainable. At a time when bee and bird populations are in decline, it would be irresponsible for FSC to sanction GE herbicide-tolerant trees.
Glyphosate-tolerant trees would be a disaster for the people and ecosystems of Brazil. Brazil's rural communities are already suffering from the damage from massive applications of this toxic pesticide on the enormous GE soy fields there. This new GE eucalyptus tree will also result in the expansion of ecologically and socially devastating eucalyptus plantations into more ecosystems and communities, such as the important cerrado woodland in Maranhão, adjacent to the Amazon region.
Genetically engineered trees threaten the future of our forests. They pose a wide range of possible environmental and socio-economic harms that could increase over time as contamination spreads. FSC must live up to its mission to promote environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically prosperous management of the world's forests, and continue to play a key role in protecting our forests from the harmful impacts of GE trees.
Genetically engineered trees are a threat to our collective future and have no place in FSC activities and FSC-certified products. The FSC must protect our forest ecosystems from GE trees rather than open the door to this dangerous experiment.
PETITION TO THE FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL
Kim Carstensen, Director General
Forest Stewardship Council
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Protect our forests from the threats of Genetically Engineered trees
We, the undersigned, demand FSC reject GE trees.
Dear Mr. Carstensen,
We oppose Forest Stewardship Council’s proposal to endorse field tests of genetically engineered (GE), also called genetically modified (GM) trees. The FSC must disassociate itself from any GE tree research activities and continue to clearly prohibit the commercial growing of GE trees due to the threats to our forests and the environment.
The importance of FSC’s current prohibition of genetically engineered trees in FSC products is particularly critical given the recent Brazilian approval for commercial growing of a GE glyphosate-tolerant eucalyptus tree, developed by the FSC-certified company Suzano.
GE glyphosate-resistant eucalyptus tree plantations pose a danger to not only the health of the environment, but the health of plantation workers and the communities that may live near these plantations.
In November 2021, the U.S. EPA released its final Biological Evaluation (BE) of the impact of glyphosate on species listed under the Endangered Species Act and found that the herbicide may affect, and is likely to adversely affect, certain listed species or their designated critical habitats.[1] The BE encompassed all registered uses and approved product labels for pesticide products containing glyphosate.
A 2019 peer-reviewed study found that glyphosate impairs the foraging behavior of honeybee workers and has adverse effects at different levels within the colony.[2] A 2018 study found that glyphosate destroys specialized gut bacteria in bees, leaving them more susceptible to infection and death from harmful bacteria.[3] A 2015 study found that exposure to relatively low doses of glyphosate hindered bees’ ability to navigate back to the hive.[4] A 2014 study found that the “appetitive behavior” of honeybees — including how well they could detect sucrose and their ability to learn and remember where food sources were located — was significantly diminished after exposure to doses of glyphosate commonly found in farmlands.[5]
Glyphosate doesn't just affect important pollinators such as bees. Over 200 studies implicate glyphosate in harms to other living organisms, including aquatic organisms, fish, birds, and humans, and to soil health.[6][7] The current use of glyphosate in agriculture is already at dangerous levels. There is no scenario where mass glyphosate use on GE eucalyptus tree plantations could be considered sustainable. At a time when bee and bird populations are in decline, it would be irresponsible for FSC to sanction GE herbicide-tolerant trees.
Glyphosate-tolerant trees would be a disaster for the people and ecosystems of Brazil. Brazil's rural communities are already suffering from the damage from massive applications of this toxic pesticide on the enormous GE soy fields there. This new GE eucalyptus tree will also result in the expansion of ecologically and socially devastating eucalyptus plantations into more ecosystems and communities, such as the important cerrado woodland in Maranhão, adjacent to the Amazon region.
Genetically engineered trees threaten the future of our forests. They pose a wide range of possible environmental and socio-economic harms that could increase over time as contamination spreads. FSC must live up to its mission to promote environmentally sound, socially beneficial and economically prosperous management of the world's forests, and continue to play a key role in protecting our forests from the harmful impacts of GE trees.
Genetically engineered trees are a threat to our collective future and have no place in FSC activities and FSC-certified products. The FSC must protect our forest ecosystems from GE trees rather than open the door to this dangerous experiment.
If FSC chooses to support GE trees, your organization's certification will lose the trust of consumers and become yet another meaningless greenwash.
Sincerely,
Diana Reeves
Executive Director, GMO/Toxin Free USA
