25 February 2006

Anne Klaasen, GFRS volunteer, The Netherlands

I'm 33 and a student in Modern Asian History. I also work part-time as an educational assistant at a carpentry school, where I sell wood and tools to my students. In the school's shop, I try to make the students aware of the illegal logging problem when they buy wood to make tables, chairs, cabinets and boats. I also work as a freelance boatbuilder and as an outdoors instructor.

I've been a Greenpeace volunteer and activist for three years now. I participated in several actions in The Netherlands and I've repaired inflatables and canoes for the Greenpeace warehouse in The Netherlands. I also have been the captain's deckhand on the Dutch Greenpeace ship the Argus and a member of the Dutch canoe team.

I studied Japanese in the past but I decided I wanted to do a more practical course so I changed to carpentry and specialised in boatbuilding. After I finished the course I decided to finish my university degree in a broader field - Modern Asian History. At the moment I'm working on my thesis about sea piracy in the Malacca Straits.

When Greenpeace Netherlands asked for volunteers to go to Papua New Guinea to help against the illegal logging, I responded immediately. This is a brilliant opportunity to see what is really going on here and to act to stop it myself. By coming to the Paradise Forests I'll be able to tell my students what I've seen with my own eyes. And of course it will be a great experience to see the stunning, beautiful rainforest.

I hope the Global Forest Rescue Station will stop illegal logging in the Paradise Forests, as the ancient forests are disappearing alarmingly fast. It is great that we can help the local tribes manage their forests in an ecologically sustainable way, saving it from illegal and destructive logging. I also hope that our message will reach the European Parliament and that they will put a ban on the import of illegally logged wood.

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Comments

Posted by: Simon Oosthoek at May 31, 2006 9:54 AM