Seeing the forest for the trees

“Grow more trees–use more wood,” is the mantra of former Greenpeace leader Patrick Moore.

By Bernadette Freund –

Dr. Patrick Moore, co-founder and former president of Greenpeace, was there. He continued his work with Greenpeace until 1986. It was then, he says, that he grew tired of waking up every day being against a list of things. He decided he wanted to be for something for a change.

Q How does a founder of Greenpeace, a man who spent 20 years with the environmental organization, become a chief spokesman of the Wood Promotion Network? Some people out there would consider that “selling out.” How do you address this criticism?

A I was born into a forest industry family on northern Vancouver Island. I studied forestry and forest ecology while I obtained my Ph.D. in ecology from the University of British Columbia in 1972. During the 15 years I was a leader of Greenpeace, 1971 to 1986, Greenpeace was never against forestry. They only adopted their anti-forestry campaign three years after I left when they became involved in the campaign to end logging in the Clayquot Sound area in British Columbia. I have never been opposed to forestry and have always believed that wood is our most abundant and sustainable renewable material resource. I never did change my mind about forestry and believe the correct environmental policy is “grow more trees–use more wood” rather than the anti-environmental policy “cut fewer trees–use less wood.”

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