Activists Destroy 1500-2000 GE Trees at Mead Corp

Genetix Alert News Release 25jul00

Milo, MAINE - On Saturday July 22nd anti-biotech direct actionists destroyed 1500 - 2000 genetically engineered trees at MEAD Corporation facilities.

A communique sent by the activists stated that "In an action similar to a multi-national corporate clearcut, 1500 - 2000 genetically engineered trees were hacked down."

The communique continued "The creation of monoculture tree plantations breeds inherent dangers to diverse native forests & wildlife. Genetically Engineering trees creates 'super trees,' which threaten water resources as a result, these trees, in turn, cross pollinate with native trees and the native genes are forever altered."

A growing direct action movement against biotechnology continues to intensify this summer. Just last week the Earth Liberation Front destroyed two acres of corn at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories. Days later the ELF activists struck again at the US Forest Service's North Central Research Station Forest Biotechnology Laboratory in Wisconsin where over 500 research pine and broadleaf trees were destroyed. This week activists continue to protest the International Society for Animal Genetics facing heavily armed police and state troopers in downtown Minneapolis. The movement maintains that biotechnology is being developed, not to improve human or ecological health, but solely to increase the profits of large multinational corporations.

The communique concludes: "Toxic chemicals used on the trees create toxic soils, disturbing every ecosystem in the area and destroying any remnants of what was once natural. This technology must be destroyed, this madness must stop, and people around the world are not going to watch this unnatural synthetic culture thrive. We will continue to stand up to corporate greed."

*Attached is copy of the communique.

MILO, MAINE - July 22nd - 1500 - 2000 MEAD PAPER GE TREES DESTROYED

On the evening of July 22nd, people from all over New England joined Concerned Maine Citizens and took action to protect our communities & forests from genetically engineered trees. In an action similar to a multi-national corporate clearcut, 1500 - 2000 genetically engineered trees were hacked down. These trees were brewed in the cauldron of biotechnology by MEAD paper products corp. in our community of Milo, Maine. The creation of monoculture tree plantations breeds inherent dangers to diverse native forests & wildlife. Genetically Engineering trees creates "super trees," which threaten water resources as a result, these trees, in turn, cross pollinate with native trees and the native genes are forever altered. Toxic chemicals used on the trees create toxic soils, disturbing every ecosystem in the area and destroying any remnants of what was once natural. This technology must be destroyed, this madness must stop, and people around the world are not going to watch this unnatural synthetic culture thrive. We will continue to stand up to corporate greed.

GenetiX Alert is an independent news center which works with other above-ground, anti-genetic engineering organizations. GA has no knowledge of the person(s) who carryout any underground actions. GA does not advocate illegal acts, but seeks to explain why people destroy genetically engineered crops and undertake other nonviolent actions aimed at resisting genetic engineering and increasing the difficulty for entities which seek to advance genetic engineering or its products. GA spokespeople are available for media interviews.

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