Scion’s latest annual report (June 2022) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA NZ) on GM pines that have been modified for traits such as modified plant growth/biomass, reproductive development, herbicide tolerance, biomass use, wood density and wood dimensional stability confirm that no environmental impact study has been conducted. [1]
The lack of research into the effects that herbicides, lignin modifications and altered reproductive traits would have on native soils, flora and fauna as well as established pine plantations is of great concern. New Zealand currently relies on plantation pine exports to support the economy. Any threat to the forestry industry from genetically modified trees would cause serious problems.
The Scion report found that GM pines produced reproductive structures. When the GM trees died, it was attributed to ‘drought’ and replaced, but no further examination was done to see if there were other reasons for the tree’s death. Scientific procedures are therefore not carried out.
“Failure to investigate GM tree death will confuse any data collection and replacement will not inform the outcome or give a true level of problems,” said Claire Bleakley, president of GE Free NZ.
Scion’s report also details collaborative discussions with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) researchers regarding GM pines.
FSC is a German-based non-profit organization that operates a global, market-based certification program for forest products. [2] It is currently reconsidering its 27-year ban on genetically modified trees at its October 9-14 general assembly in Bali, Indonesia.
The Report of the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) [3] exposes the cascading effects of the release of genetically modified trees into the world. The CBAN report notes that the FSC and other so-called “sustainable forest management” organizations that certify products to their own social and environmental standards, are under pressure from large corporations and academic biotechnology researchers to license GM trees in their certification programs.
GE Free NZ supports comments made in the CBAN report that GM trees would perpetuate environmentally and socially destructive industrial plantation production, contributing to the climate crisis.
“Genetically modified trees are not a climate solution because genetically modified trees would add unnecessary risks to native and exotic forests, with irreversible impacts unknown,” said Claire Bleakley. “There is a lack of data on the effect these trees will have on fragile ecosystems, which include soils, native vegetation, insects and birds. Once GE contamination in forests begins, it will not cannot be stopped FSC must ensure that it preserves the current ban on genetically modified trees.
References:
[1] ERMA 200479 Scion Pine Trees Annual Report https://www.epa.govt.nz/assets/FileAPI/hsno-ar/ERMA200479/2022-Scion-Pine-Trees-Anual-Report.pdf and https://www.gefree .org.nz/assets/Uploads/2022-Scion-Pine-Trees-Anual-Report.pdf[2]Forest Stewardship Council https://fsc.org/en[3]The Global Status of Genetically Engineered Tree Development A Growing Threat (2022) CBAN Report https://stopgetrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/The-Global-Status-of-Genetically-Engineered-Tree- Development- EN.pdf
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