THE RAINFORESTS OF NEW YORK:
A TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION
The New York City government is the largest consumer of tropical hardwoods in North America.
So you want to save rainforests? Maybe even the planet? You can make a huge difference right here in NYC!
LATEST NEWS
MAY 1ST, 2010
Coney Island Opening Day
The heat was on at Coney Island on opening day for the season, and especially for Mayor Bloomberg and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. Three protesters slipped behind the fence where bundles of tropical timber await placement on concrete, and unfurled a banner saying “Bloomberg and Benepe: The Heat Is On! Stop Killing the Amazon for Boardwalks! Rfny.net”
APRIL 21ST, 2010
Earth Week Civil Disobedience: City Hall Banner Hang
During lunch hour in New York City, two climbers scaled the 40-foot flagpoles at the southern entrance of City Hall Park to hang a 150-square-foot banner reading, “If Bloomberg Is So Green, Why Is NYC America’s #1 Consumer Of Rainforest Wood?”
“It’s the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and it’s simply unacceptable that the City is still using rainforest wood for public infrastructure,” said Tim Doody, NYC Campaign Coordinator for Rainforest Relief and climber on the west flagpole. “We’re in front of Mayor Bloomberg’s office window and we hope our message is large enough for him to see it.”
APRIL 19TH, 2010
Rainforest Relief Releases Plan to Stop NYC’s Consumption of Rainforest Wood in 2 Years
Entitled “The Rainforests of New York: a Trail of Destruction“, RR’s report shows that in every case where a city agency or public benefit corporation is using tropical hardwoods — even for large-scale outdoor infrastructure — an alternative material could be substituted immediately.
An executive summary is available as a PDF download.
APRIL 19TH, 2010
“Dead Rainforests of New York” Video Release
Today, in anticipation of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, Rainforest Relief and New York Climate Action Group released a 46-second video to call attention to the New York City’s on-going use of rainforest wood for public infrastructure. The video features nine individuals, each holding a sign and standing at a site in the City where rainforest wood has been used. With quick zooms and cuts, the video joins the signs together to form the sentence, “You Are Looking At Dead Rainforests.”
2009 VIDEO RELEASE: Touring the Rainforests of New York
SEPT. 24th, 2009 ACTION
Activists Unfurl 35-foot Banner on High Line to Protest Park’s Use of FSC-Certified Amazon Wood
This morning, environmental activists unfurled a 35-foot banner blocking the iconic view of 10th Avenue from the High Line park to protest the Amazon wood used in the park for bleachers, benches and decking. The banner read, “High Crime on the High Line! FSC Lies: Amazon Wood Is Not Sustainable!”
Rainforest Relief and New York Climate Action Group coordinated the banner action to confront the “First International FSC Friday,” an event held on September 25th by the Forest Stewardship Council to promote their certification scheme.
The Myth of High Line’s Certified Rainforest Wood
This Just in: Illegal Amazon Timber Passed off as Certified!
FSC-certified Forestry in Africa
