In other Scientology news, Church spokesperson Al Buttnor, it seems, won't be fielding media calls for a while. Buttnor, depending on who you talk to in the church, is either on vacation, on a special project, or on a sabbatical. According to new satellite photo data compiled by World Forest Watch Canada, a partner of the Washington D.C.-based World Resources Institute, Canada's remaining Boreal forests, which currently supports the world's largest network of lakes and wetlands, is being opened up by roads, mining, hydro and logging. Global Forest says only five per cent of Canada's forested watersheds remain undeveloped and more than 80 per cent of British Columbia's forests allocated to logging companies. The group says that 13 companies operating in an area at least the size of Switzerland account for almost half the country's forest operations.
Forestry practices violaters, meanwhile, are being given the light touch by provincial governments.
Global's Peter Lee says the grim snapshot should be a wake up call. We've gotta change direction here. Interestingly, Ikea, the home furnishings giant is one of several companies who helped financed Global Forest's data collection. It's a market-based decision. Companies that are taking the lead are going to capture the green market.