Satellite maps show forests critical at Earth Summit
Curitiba, Brazil, 22 March, 2006: Groundbreaking satellite maps reveal the world's forests are in critical condition,
Greenpeace revealed today, at the Convention on Biological Diversity meeting in Brazil. They include maps of the last
large intact areas of ancient forests around the world including the 'lost world' or garden of eden region of forest on
the island of New Guinea, as well as the Amazon and Congo.
“The maps provide evidence that less that 10% of the earth's land area remains as large intact forest areas,” said
Greenpeace Forests campaigner Grant Rosoman. “The maps show how heavy the human ‘footprint’ has been in Asia Pacific –
only in Europe are there less remaining intact forest landscapes.”
“Never before have the Earth’s remaining large intact forests been mapped in such detail and with a consistent
methodology,” said Rosoman. “We have used state of the art technology, such as high resolution satellite imagery, to
create a new important tool for governments, environment groups and landowners to understand the extent of remaining
ancient forests and work together to protect them.”
The Paradise Forests of Asia Pacific are being destroyed faster than any other forest on Earth. Much of the large intact
forest landscapes have already been cut down - 72% for Indonesia and 60% for Papua New Guinea. They continue to be under
enormous threat, for example 45% of intact forest landscapes in PNG are covered by logging concessions.
“In PNG, other Melanesian countries and Indonesia, these maps provide evidence to governments of the need to improve
protection of ancient forests in a region with the fastest deforestation rate on earth,” said Grant Rosoman.
These ground breaking maps are being released at a time when both terrestrial and marine life is being destroyed at an
unprecedented rate. The current rate of extinction of plant and animal species is approximately 1,000 times faster than
it was in pre-human times and is predicted to be 10,000 times faster by the year 2050 (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment,
2005).
As well as being a unique reservior of biodiversity, the current intact paradise forests are home to thousands of
indigenous peoples from hundreds of different cultures and languages. Immediate moratoria are urgently needed on new
industrial developments in the last intact forests identified by these maps. The maps clearly show what is left of the
world’s ancient forests and provide clear evidence to world governments, meeting in Brazil this week, on the need for
urgent action to protect what is left before these forests are destroyed.
The launch of the maps coincides with Greenpeace campaigns to highlight the global biodiversity crisis. The Rainbow
Warrior is in Manokwari, Papua, Indonesia, on a mission to protect the Paradise Forests from illegal and destructive
logging. The flagship is near the Foja Mountain area recently declared a 'New Eden' rich in undiscovered plant and
animal species.
Greenpeace has also set up a Global Forest Rescue Station in the Paradise Forests of Papua New Guinea, working with
landowners and other environment groups to protect the forests from illegal logging by establishing ecoforestry as a
viable alternative.
To view maps: www.greenpeace.org/forestmaps or www.intactforests.org
ENDS