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Stop GE Trees

Join us in the campaign to Stop GE Trees

Genetically Engineered Trees Pose Risks Of Contaminating Forests, Damaging Ecosystems And Harming Communities

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GJEP coordinates, administrates and fundraises for the Campaign to STOP GE Trees. The campaign is an alliance of national and international organizations with the goal to protect native forests and biodiversity, provide support to communities threatened by the release of GE trees, and to defend the rights of forest dependent communities and Indigenous Peoples from the unknown and irreversible risks of releasing genetically engineered (GE) trees. The global release of GE (genetically modified) trees is closer than it has ever been. The release poses serious threats to forests and other ecosystems, as well as to many communities and Indigenous peoples. The environmental impacts would be irreversible. While very few GE trees have been approved for commercial release globally, the regulatory landscape is changing quickly. Now is the time to act to stop GE trees before they alter forest ecosystems permanently.

Key Accomplishments

Stop GE Trees Campaign

  • Created and led a major international campaign against GE trees, which has so far successfully prevented their large-scale commercial release
  • Organized historic week of action at the international Tree Biotechnology 2013 conference in Asheville, NC in May 2013–including several arrests and the largest ever protest against GE trees
  • Won a decision from the UN Convention on Biological Diversity warning countries of the social and ecological dangers of GE trees
  • Assembled a legal team to challenge USDA approval of GE eucalyptus trees,which is discouraging investment and prevented GE tree company ArborGen from going public on the NASDAQ in April 2011, leading to the replacement of its executive staff in January 2012
  • Consulted on the creation of an award-winning documentary “A Silent Forest:The Growing Threat, Genetically Engineered Trees,” narrated by internationally renowned geneticist Dr. David Suzuki.
  • Brought major media attention to the dangers of GE trees, including a front-page story in the Washington Post, and articles/features in the New York Times, Bloomberg News, Christian Science Monitor, Charlotte Observer, Memphis Appeal, NPR’s Living on Earth program, and Jim Hightower Radio, among numerous others
  • Cited frequently by industry leaders as a major obstacle to GE tree research and development