I want to take a moment to respond to the criticisms and concerns you have raised. Let me first clarify that RAN campaigns to protect ancient forests. This is one of our four primary campaigns. Over the summer we achieved a major victory in a campaign led by the Grassy Narrows First Nation and supported by RAN and a number of other NGOs, when together we pressured Abitibi-Bowater to stop logging in the old growth boreal forests of First Nation’s traditional territory. Read more at http://understory.ran.org/2008/06/23/grassy-victory-articles/. In particular, I recommend the CBC interview with Roberta Keesick.

Later, the government of Ontario announced a plan to protect 50% of the far northern boreal forests. RAN has made no deals to trade away forests in the boreal, we were not at any negotiating table in the far north. After the announcement was made, RAN wrote to the premier with a broad coalition of NGOs to pressure him to ensure that the government’s promise is implemented. (http://understory.ran.org/2008/07/24/broad-coalition-writes-to-ontario-premier/). We have also worked to bring the voices of Indigenous leaders from the affected region in Northern Ontario to the forefront of the debate. (http://understory.ran.org/2008/07/18/ki-chiefs-statement-on-youtube/).

Protecting 50% of the land base of a region is good news. Globally, such victories are rare, (http://understory.ran.org/2008/07/29/the-biggest-environmental-victory-you%E2%80%99ve-never-heard-about/) and RAN along with an awful lot of observers are impressed that an area half the size of the state of California will be set off limits if this plan is implemented. However, RAN did not participate in this deal. We encourage you to join us to hold the government of Ontario accountable to this commitment, and to campaign for further wilderness protection in Ontario and beyond.

RAN has a long history of support from and for forests.org, and we have previously responded to criticisms on forests.org (http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2007/11/the_transcript_ran_dodges_rega.asp). At the time, we were hoping to agree on next steps, and we have been ever since.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Jennifer Krill
Program Director