Humans have been cutting down trees since the end of the last Ice Age. Even by the Neolithic period, i.e from around 6-8,000 years ago, whole scale clearance of forests was taking place across Europe. Some of this was a bi-product of domesticated stock grazing; some was direct harvesting for building materials and fuel; most was probably due to felling and burning to make farm fields. For thousands of years, then, we have been destroying the planet’s life-nurturing tree cover.

But now look what nightmare plans are afoot for our surviving trees – genetically engineered fuel- and paper-making-friendly trees that grow in sterile, silent forests. In the video geneticist David Suzuki gives clear explanations of what is involved in genetic engineering and flags up the potential consequences of the bio-tech industry’s objectives for tree-life on the planet. It is all very disturbing, but I think we need to know what’s going on in our world, and with official sanction. See what you think. This is followed by a documentary film, in which Dr. Suzuki is also the narrator.

 

<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/51040243″>A Silent Forest</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/user11341138″>Raindancer Media</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>