Blog: Forests

Slideshow: devastating fires sweep through Sumatran forests

Posted by Angela Glienicke - 26 July 2013 at 4:48pm

Sitting in my comfortable office chair and watching these terrible images come through the picture desk, I feel a desperate need to stop this destruction. The devastating forest fires that swept through Sumatra recently caused record breaking air pollution in parts of Malaysia and Singapore.

Article tagged as: forest destruction, forest fires, indonesia, peatlands, slideshows, sumatra

This is what a massive forest fire looks like

Posted by Richardg - 25 June 2013 at 11:31am

Huge forest fires in Indonesia are blanketing Singapore and Malaysia with record-breaking pollution

The Sumatran rainforests, home to the last Sumatran tigers, orangutans and rhinos, are on fire. Our team have been on the ground documenting the disaster. These devastating images show what they found.

Article tagged as: APRIL, borneo, deforestation, forest fires, palm oil, pulp and paper, rainforests, sumatra

Forest destroyer APRIL can't stand the heat

Posted by Richardg - 21 June 2013 at 2:23pm

Notorious Indonesian pulp and paper company APRIL has had a chequered history with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). But late last week we heard that the relationship had finally come to an end – and in a most unexpected way.

Article tagged as: APRIL, forests, FSC, indonesia, pulp and paper, rainforest, sumatra

When will companies learn that suing campaigners won't silence us?

Posted by Richardg - 21 June 2013 at 11:22am

The sun rises over the Boreal Forest, which is under threat from Resolute Forest Products

Resolute Forest Products, one of the most destructive logging companies in Canada, is suing my colleagues for $7 million. It thinks this will make them shut up about its destruction of Canada's Boreal Forest. It won't work - and I should know.

Article tagged as: boreal forest, canada, forests, Ontario, Quebec, Resolute, SLAPP

APRIL, you can't spin your deforestation

Posted by Richardg - 24 May 2013 at 5:57pm

David Goodwin failing to answer the question

Here's a tip for anyone looking to do public relations for forest-destroying companies. The correct way to respond to a simple question about how much forest you're clearing is not to ask the journalist to stop filming.

Article tagged as: APRIL, forests, indonesia, palm oil, pulp and paper

Top 10 weird wildlife: immortal jellyfish, gender-swapping fish and pink dolphins

Posted by Willie - 22 May 2013 at 3:09pm

Today is International Day for Biological Diversity. An opportunity to celebrate and wonder at the amazingly diverse variety of species we share the planet with. This year it has a water theme, so we’ve been having some fun over on Twitter, and here’s our pick of the weirdest and most wondrous watery wildlife you definitely need to know about.

Article tagged as: biodiversity, forests, international day for biological diversity, oceans, wildlife

Why Indonesia's deforestation ban isn't enough to protect its forests

Posted by Richardg - 21 May 2013 at 10:32am

Clearance of forested tiger habitat in Sumatra, Indonesia

The president of Indonesia has banned deforestation for another couple of years. This is great news - but we aren't celebrating just yet, because most of its rainforest remains unprotected.

Article tagged as: APRIL, forests, indonesia, palm oil, pulp and paper, rainforest

Result: forest destroyer Duta Palma kicked out of sustainable palm oil group

Posted by Richardg - 13 May 2013 at 12:24pm

by-nc. Credit: Ulet Ifansasti / Greenpeace

Duta Palma is a notorious palm oil company with an inglorious history of trashing the rainforest. This morning, it became the first company to be kicked out of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

Article tagged as: duta palma, forests, indonesia, palm oil, rainforest, rspo, sumatra

Is RSPO member Duta Palma breaking Indonesia's deforestation ban?

Posted by Richardg - 24 April 2013 at 5:52pm - Comments

by-nc. Credit: Ulet Ifansasti / Greenpeace

Clearing peatland rainforest in a palm oil concession in Riau owned by PT Palma Satu, part of the Duta Palma group.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was set up so you could buy palm oil without fueling deforestation. So why does it look like Duta Palma, an RSPO member, is destroying the Indonesian rainforest?