The NGO says it published a report in July showing how the last wild Sumatran tigers are threatened with extinction by the practices of the pulp and paper producer. “We thought that was reason to give APP a Golden Chainsaw Award to mark the International Pulp and Paper Awards in Brussels. No applause please.” Greenpeace quipped on its website.
Greenpeace claims the tigers’ natural habitat in the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park is sandwiched between the concessions of the world’s fourth largest paper producer. Several natural forests around the park are doomed to disappear in favour of acacia plantations.
It says, “In spite of this, APP insists it is very much on the path to sustainability. The sharp contrast with its practices in the field is reason enough to question the responsibility of APP – Sinar Mas’ pulp and paper producing department.”
However APP has hit back at the allegations by inviting Greenspirit Strategies, an environmental and sustainability consulting organisation led by the co-founder and former leader of Greenpeace Patrick Moore, to an inspection tour of APP’s Indonesian operations.
According to APP, Moore led a team of three experts into the rainforest with the mission of providing a first-hand assessment of the recent allegations.
Moore insisted his team be granted open and unobstructed access to all APP facilities, pulpwood producer concessions and records, as well as to interview any employees, community leaders and local stakeholders of their choosing.
Commenting on his findings, Moore said, “We read the NGO reports with great interest, but once we were out in the field we saw some truly unexpected things that people never read about. We found hospitals and schools that wouldn’t exist today without APP’s investment.
“We met conservation experts who showed us new programmes designed to help increase the Sumatran tiger population. And we saw innovative world-class technology and science that many would never expect to find deep in the Indonesian rainforest.”
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