Blog: Forests

On Saturday we finally made it into Santarém port, having persuaded the authorities that they had no legal grounds on which they could legitimately keep the Arctic Sunrise out.

Despite rumours that the soy farmers were planning a march, the atmosphere in the port was quiet - except, that is, for the loading of a cargo ship, ironically preparing to transport Amazonian timber to France. It seemed criminal to stand by and watch it load but on this occasion it was not our remit to intervene.

Deep in the forests of Papua New Guinea, part of the Paradise Forests that stretch across South East Asia, Greenpeace has established a Global Forest Rescue Station. It's purpose: to help the clans and tribes of the region to mark out their lands which are theirs by law but are at risk from the unscrupulous activities of logging companies.

Soya farming is chewing up the Amazon rainforest at unprecedented rates as huge areas are cleared to make way for massive monoculture plantations. In the Name of Progress, a film produced by Greenpeace, illustrates the devastating effects that the booming soya market is having on the world's largest remaining rainforest.

Now in its third year, the Greenpeace Garden Furniture campaign has been shaking up retailers and manufacturers alike and resulted in sweeping changes to the industry.