WWF-Indonesia publishes its position on APRIL

EoF News / 05 December 2010

EoF News (PEKANBARU) – WWF Indonesia published its position on APRIL today. It wrote: “Until APRIL changes course and to demonstrate its responsibility and sustainability in the field, WWF recommends that existing or potential buyers and investors should be wary of conducting any business with APRIL if they want to avoid the risk of contributing to natural forest destruction.

”WWF explained that in   April  2010,   Rainforest   Alliance’s   SmartWood   Program   suspended   APRIL’s   interim   FSC Controlled Wood certificate for their PT. Riau Andalan Pulp and Paper Forestry Division (Riaufiber) operations  which  covered  approximately  350,000  hectares  out  of  more  than  1.8  million  hectares APRILhas under its management.

The decision was based on RA/SW audits in 2009  that found non-conformance  of  APRIL  operations  with FSC  Controlled  Wood  requirements,  as  well  as  Rainforest Alliance’s conditions agreed by APRIL in August 2008 to not clear any natural forests for which no professional  HCVF  assessments  had  been  done  or  for  which  the  APRIL’s  HCVF  delineation  was disputed by stakeholders. In  July  and  November  2010,  the  Eyes on the  Forest  project published two  investigative  reports detailing  how  APRIL  violated  its  agreement  with  Rainforest  Alliance, commitments to WWF, and its own public commitment to protect High Conservation Value Forests throughout their corporate operations in 2009 and 2010.   

The Eyes on the Forest reports also confirmed that Rainforest Alliance’s request to APRIL to “within 10  days [....] stop  all  conversion  of  natural  forest,  including  secondary  or  degraded  forest  in  peat forest area” was not met, WWF said. On the statement, referring to deadline given by RA's SmartWood, the organization said, "Given these facts, WWF concludes that APRIL has no serious intention to protect its High Conservation Value Forests or to regain FSC CW certification." "This is sad news for Sumatra’s forests. WWF worked for years to encourage and support APRIL to become a leader in the pulp & paper industry and adopt best management practices that would bring the company on a road towards sustainable development. However, the company has failed to make fundamental changes to its practices," WWF said on its position.   

 

Full WWF statement on APRIL 

 

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