The conservationist Dr Richard Leakey says UK timber companies can help preserve endangered great apes in Africa. But he is not calling for a boycott of African hardwood.
Dr Leakey has recently led a campaign to publicise the Great Ape Survival Project (GRASP). This will culminate in a gala dinner on May 24 in London to be attended by Prince Charles and environment minister Elliot Morley.
He told TTJ that the threat to the chimpanzee and gorilla populations in Africa was partly a “by-product of logging”. But he insisted that he was not against the hardwood trade.
“I think it is now pretty well proven that logging roads have opened up previously inaccessible parts of these apes’ habitats, allowing in hunters and bushmeat traders,” said Dr Leakey. “But I’m not recommending a boycott. We cannot deprive these poor countries of revenue from their hardwood. I’m in favour of conservation working with industry and I think we should be rethinking our strategies for protecting the apes together.”
He suggested that companies could pay ” a little extra” for their timber to help fund security wardens in logging areas.
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“I’m in favour of conservation working with industry and I think we should be rethinking our strategies for protecting the apes together” |
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Dr Richard Leakey |
“It wouldn’t cost much, relative to the value of the hardwood, and it could make a major contribution to the conservation effort ensuring that the logging roads are only used to extract logs and not logs plus,” said Dr Leakey.
He added that companies that get involved in this strategy could be accredited to some form of industry alliance, excluding those which source hardwood from unprotected areas.
