Save Wildlife and their Habitats from Deforestation!
- by: Sierra Club
- recipient: US Congress, Secretary Vilsack, Secretary Jewell
Deforestation, driven in part by illegal logging is the biggest threat to survival for the Siberian Tiger, the most rare breed of tigers on our planet. The only place they call home is the origin of millions of square feet of illegally logged hardwoods used right here in the United States. Not only does illegal logging damage the environment, it disrupts our climate, hurts communities, and threatens American jobs.
A landmark law called the Lacey Act helps the United States combat trafficking in illegal wood products and penalizes those who import illegally harvested wood products and wildlife. It is imperative that the Lacey Act continue to be enforced and strengthened.
Send a message to call for stronger protections against illegal logging!
Dear [Decision Maker],
Illegal logging and associated trade remains a serious problem around the world, threatening our climate, harming communities and undercutting American jobs. Since Congress amended the Lacey Act in 2008 to ban imports of plant products taken illegally, the United States has been a leader in fighting the trade of illegal wood and paper products. To continue to lead the world in the fight against illegal logging, I urge you to fully enforce the Lacey Act.
While many companies have made important steps to source their wood sustainably, laggards remain. Just a few months ago federal agents raided the offices of Lumber Liquidators, a hardwood flooring company in the U.S., looking for evidence that the company knowingly imported wood products illegally harvested from the Russian Far East, the home of the last 450 wild Siberian tigers. It is critical that the administration fully investigate these charges and strongly enforce the law if the allegations are found to be true.
With the Lacey Act, the United States has the tools to stem the flow of illegally-harvested wood products. However, many companies will not move to make their supply chain sustainable until they see strong enforcement of the law. I urge you to fight illegal logging worldwide by fully enforcing the Lacey Act. Doing so will protect our climate, communities and American jobs.
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Sincerely,
[Your name here]
