Kyoto Buddhist Association recognizes that the protection of ancient forests is an urgent global environmental problem.
Kyoto Buddhist Association recognizes that the protection of ancient forests is an urgent global environmental problem.
Press release, Tokyo, December 11
Greenpeace welcomes Statement on Ancient Forest from the Kyoto Buddhist Association
Tokyo, Saturday December 11, 1999, Greenpeace Japan welcomed the statement on ancient forest made today by the Kyoto Buddhist Association (Kyoto Bukkyo Kai). The statement by the board of the association followed an appeal by Greenpeace Japan on Thursday to the Chionin temple in Kyoto to consider their use of ancient forest timber. This temple was reconstructed with ancient yellow cedar trees from the rainforest of British Columbia. Responding to Greenpeace's appeal, the board of the Kyoto
Buddhist Association issued the following statement:
'Comment from the Board of the Kyoto Bukkyo Kai (Kyoto Buddhist Association) on its use of timber from ancient forest, and ancient forest protection, 11 December 1999:
'The Kyoto Buddhist Association recognizes that the protection of ancient forest is an urgent global environmental problem. The Association will continue its discussion on this issue based on Buddhist values, with an initial objective to establish principles on ancient forest and ancient forest protection. The Association also wishes to continue to exchange information with Greenpeace. '
Greenpeace Japan forest campaigner, Mikiko Fukuda welcomed the statement, saying, "Greenpeace is happy that the discussion on ancient forest has started within this highly regarded Association. We look forward to the Association playing an important role in the protection of ancient forest through leading a
discussion in Japan on how humans can live in harmony with nature, as this value is lacking in our society.
"Greenpeace will continue to provide information to the Association and the Chionin Temple on threats to ancient forests around the world posed by logging, and will also share examples of alternative sources of wood, she said.
Note to editors: The membership of the Kyoto Buddhist Association includes about 1,000 temples. Wood for reconstruction of the temples includes Yellow Cedar, Hemlock and Fir from the rainforests of British Columbia, which comes from a number of different BC producers. Greenpeace is calling on major logging companies in British Columbia to agree to a moratorium on logging in intact coastal rainforest valleys.
For more information, contact:
Mikiko Fukuda tel: 81-90-247-95409