Environmentalists are condemning the Canadian government for blocking a
moratorium on genetically engineered trees at the U.N. Convention on
Biological Diversity currently taking place in Bonn, Germany. The African
nations and several other countries are supporting the moratorium which, if
passed, would suspend the release of any genetically engineered trees.


Because trees live for decades and pollinate over thousands of kilometres,
proponents of the moratorium fear these "frankentrees" will cross-breed with
natural forests and endanger biodiversity.

"It is extremely dangerous," said Lucy Sharratt, Coordinator of Canadian
Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) from Germany where she was attending the
conference. She said Canada was leading a small coalition of countries that
were attempting to block the moratorium.

"Really it's Canada that is leading the effort to block the moratorium, it's
very clear," she said, adding that Canada has recruited the support of New
Zealand, Columbia and Brazil.

"There's an entire continent that's asking for very specific and immediate
action to protect global forests. That's something Canada can't just
ignore."

Speaking at the convention, Anne Peterman, co-director of Global Justice
Ecology Project and co-coordinator of the STOP GE Trees Campaign urged the
conference to support the moratorium. "This is the only decision that makes
sense due to the un-assessed, irreversible and potentially disastrous
impacts of GE trees on forest biological diversity," said Peterman.

"If [this conference] falls short of suspending the release of GE trees, by
[the next conference] it may be too late."

Trees are being genetically engineered in several countries for a few main
traits: herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, cold tolerance and reduced
lignin as well as increased cellulose. The latter two traits both allow
trees to be processed into paper or ethanol more easily. Lignin gives trees
structural strength and helps them transport water. Environmentalists are
particularly fearful of this trait cross-pollinating into natural forests.

"Low-lignin trees would be more susceptible to disease and pests and would
be vulnerable in windstorms. The spread of low-lignin trees and their genes
via seed and pollen to forests could be devastating," said CBAN's website.
Natural Resources Canada had little to say on the topic. When asked to
explain why Canada was working to block the moratorium the ministry's media
relations department said new technologies were carefully assessed and
monitored and that Canada has biotechnology laws to assess environmental
safety.

"Genetically modified trees cannot be grown in Canada until a mandatory
pre-market safety assessment is completed. This assessment would take into
account any potential negative impacts on the environment, including
potential impacts on biodiversity," said the ministry in an emailed
response.

Meanwhile a test plot of three varieties of genetically modified trees is
taking place in Laurentian, Quebec.

On its website, Natural Resources Canada says the goal of the research is to
produce trees that grow faster, have better fibre quality and increased
resistance to damaging insects, diseases, cold, drought and flooding.

"This combination of modern propagation techniques and genetic engineering
offers the potential to meet future demands for high-quality, lower-cost raw
materials while conserving Canada's natural forests," says the website.

Proponents of the moratorium argue that if genetically engineered trees do
cross-pollinate with natural forests it would be impossible to contain.
Contaminated trees would become a form of living pollution that could spread
across entire continents.

www.checkbiotech.org