On occasion of the celebration of the International Day of Forests, La Via Campesina, Friends of the Earth International, Focus on the Global South and the World Rainforest Movement will send a letter to Graziano da Silva titled: Defining forests by their true meaning! (see letter attached in pdf format).

The letter reads “FAO´s definition as it stands reduces a forest to any area covered by trees, discarding the structural, functional and biological diversity of non-tree elements that make up a forest, as well as the cultural importance of the interaction between forests and communities. This FAO definition mainly benefits the interests of the timber lobby and the industrial tree plantation companies for pulp/paper and rubber. The definition fails the at least 300 million women and men worldwide who, according to FAO, directly depend on forests for their livelihoods”.

To know more about the motivations that gave way to the letter, Real World Radio interviewed the coordinator of the World Rainforest Movement, Winnie Overbeek.

The letter would be signed by as many social movements and organizations around the world as possible.

If you wish to sign the letter, you can do so by sending your name, organization and country to the following email address: fao@wrm.org.uy.