<div>Hi:</div>
<div> </div>
<div>No, it is not a good idea to clear forests. It is also not a good idea to genetically modify trees to make them more profitable to the biofuel industry and cultivate them in plantations.</div>
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<div>In addition, corporations can get "carbon credits" for planting trees, which reduces the pressure on them to reduce emissions. And they are genetically modifying trees to sequester more carbon, so they can get more credits. (For example, Toyota is doing this.)</div>
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<div>Trees are also being engineered to be pest resistant and herbicide tolerant --- both of these are sure to have effects on other plants, soil microorganisms and pollinators.</div>
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<div>And to "prevent contamination", sterility is being introduced into the GM trees.</div>
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<div>And if the sterility genes "escape", then I guess we would have sterile trees.</div>
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<div>For example, no acorns.</div>
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<div>I have no information that oak trees are being modified yet, but that's little assurance to me that it's not being done. Also, since many of these trees are transgenic (which is to say their genomes have been invaded with with DNA from unlike species, genera or even other kingdoms, --- who knows what kind of horizontal gene transfer is now taking place?</div>
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<div>This is just one big experiment, and it's one that can not be called back.</div>
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<div>Here's a link to an article on GM trees.</div>
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<div><a href="http://globaljusticeecology.org/stopgetrees_about.php?ID=117">http://globaljusticeecology.org/stopgetrees_about.php?ID=117</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Gena Fleming</div>
<div><br> </div>
<div class="gmail_quote">2008/12/1 Olivia Kwong <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:plant@plantconservation.org">plant@plantconservation.org</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid"><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4B04CA20081201" target="_blank">http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE4B04CA20081201</a><br>
<br>Clearing forests for biofuel hurts climate: study<br>Mon Dec 1, 2008 9:58am EST<br><br>POZNAN, Poland (Reuters) - Clearing tropical forests to plant biofuels is a bad idea for the climate and reduces the diversity of animal and plant life, a study found on Monday.<br>
<br>See the link above for the full article text.<br><br><br><br><br>_______________________________________________<br>native-plants mailing list<br><a href="mailto:native-plants@lists.plantconservation.org" target="_blank">native-plants@lists.plantconservation.org</a><br>
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