“We are acting in every continent to expose that large scale tree plantations cause severe problems to local populations and the environment. They are neither a solution to climate change nor to other problems. In many countries tree plantations are a great concern”, said Friends of the Earth International Coordinator of the Forest and Biodiversity Program, Isaac Rojas.

Cited in a press release issued by the organization, Rojas said “instead of plantations, our groups propose conservation, community management of forests and agroecologic activities that will return territorial control to the communities”.

Friends of the Earth groups in different countries are organizing events to expose the impacts of tree monocultures in their territories.
REDES-Friends of the Earth Uruguay participated on Monday in a tour around the country’s forested areas, planted to supply the national and foreign pulp and paper industry. The tour, organized by the World Rainforest Movement, focused on Soriano and Colonia departments, where some of the country’s richest lands are located. Water shortage, soil erosion, the displacement of small-scale farmers are some of the impacts of a model that has led to a fast land concentration and foreignization process in Uruguay.

Real World Radio participated in the tour, where we had the chance to interview farmer Washington Lockhart. He lives in Cerro Alegre (Soriano), where he owns a plot of land to carry out milk and dairy production. He has been exposing the impacts of forestation in the area for over ten years: nearly 140 families suffer from water shortage in their lands and have to rely on the supply of water tankers of the municipal government, which run there every fortnight. Tired of this model that has weakened the rural social make-up, Lockhart has opted to sell his lands.

In the interview he said “I can’t take this any more. We are cornered by tree monocultures”. He explained that his milk production facility is designed for five people to work there. But the lack of people in the countryside makes it very hard to find experienced workers in the rural areas. People raised in the countryside with lots of experience are no longer there now, regretted Lockhart.

The lack of experienced workers is one of the reasons that led him to decide selling his land. “This makes me too dependent because I have to be 24 hours here. Even though I like what I do, and I do well in this business, I have no one to fill in for me and people are not reliable due to the lack of experience in rural work. Wealth and land are more and more concentrated in fewer hands, especially in foreign hands. It is an exclusive productive model”

Lockhart arrived in Cerro Alegre in 1974 and has many stories to tell about the times when many people lived there. There were social meetings of the local communities. He told us that local artisanal cheese makers who used to live opposite his farm had to leave long ago. “Here in a small area, around seven or eight cheese-making facilities close down and for people in the city this will render the product more expensive. That happens with all food. People in the city should be more aware of this issues”, he said.

Photo: Real World Radio