Friends of the Earth today welcomed the decision by Eastbourne Borough Council that wood to be used in the repair of its sea defences should be obtained from a 'sustainable' source. The scheme is believed to be the largest ever project using rainforest timber in the UK [1].

Replacement of the badly neglected wooden sea defences along four miles of Eastbourne's seafront was due to begin this summer, involving the construction of new groynes using greenheart timber from the rainforests of Guyana, South America.

Following pressure from Friends of the Earth, including a letter writing campaign to the leader of the Council, Eastbourne's Environment Committee last night (June 19th) decided that any greenheart used for the project should be obtained from a source certified under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) scheme [2].

Michael le Page, spokesman for Eastbourne Friends of the Earth, said

"We are very pleased that Eastbourne Borough Council has accepted our arguments. The decision is good news for Guyana's rainforests.

Simon Counsell, Forests Campaigner for Friends of the Earth said

"Eastbourne is to be congratulated on becoming the first local authority to require FSC eco-certified timber for a major public work. Forest conservationists worldwide will be watching the outcome with interest".

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] The project will require the felling of up to 4,000 trees to provide the seven thousand tonnes of wood needed. Greenheart grows only in Guyana, whose rainforests have recently come under severe threat from extensive commercial logging.

[2] Eastbourne Borough Council's Director of Environmental Services recommendation to the Environment Committee that "timber used in the construction of groynes in the coast protection improvement works shall be from Greenheart from Guyana subject to agreement that the timber extraction operations are carried out by a company certified in accordance with international Forestry Stewardship Council Principles and Criteria".

The Forest Stewardship Council is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental association, with the objective of promoting "environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world's forests". The FSC "promotes forest stewardship through a voluntary accreditation programme for certifiers of forest products".

(h) (020 7) 354 1014 Mike le Page Tel: (01323) 411 627