Boycott British Columbia Wood
6/11/97
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VANCOUVER, June 11 (Reuter) - A coalition of three environmental groups
said Wednesday they were writing to 1,000 big U.S. companies asking them to
boycott British Columbia pulp, paper and lumber.
The Natural Resource Defense Council, Rainforest Action Network and
Greenpeace said they were acting from concern for the fate of the
province's temperate rain forests.
They expressed "particular concern" about lumber produced by International
Forest Products Ltd and Doman Industries Ltd's Western
Forest Products unit.
"We are calling on these companies to stop purchasing temperate reain
forest products from British Columbia until the old growth is protected,"
said Gaston MacMillan, a spokesman for the coalition.
"There are many alternatives on the market that will meet the needs of
these businesses that don't threaten the last of North America's temperate
rain forest."
Changes to the province's logging code announced earlier this week have
watered down protection for British Columbia's forests, the groups said.
Among the companies being asked to support the boycott were Dow Jones & Co
Inc , International Paper Co , Office Depot Inc and
Time Warner Inc .
News of the effort prompted hostile reaction from British Columbia forest
companies who have faced several similar boycott efforts in the past.
Jack Munro, chair of the Forest Alliance of British Columbia industry
association, called the campaign a "complete and total utter disgrace,"
according to the Vancouver Sun newspaper.
((Reuters Vancouver Bureau (604) 664-7314))