Seeing and saving the forest for the trees

Written By Peter Allan

Emma and her toddler explore a Pacific Northwest beach. Photo submitted by Emma Rae Lierley

 

By Patricia Lane & Emma Rae Lierley

Emma Rae Lierley helps communities stop deforestation. As senior communications manager for the forests program at the Rainforest Action Network, this Vancouverite amplifies the voices of communities all over the world contending with corporations destroying their forest homes. 

Tell us about your work.

Massive corporate greed is driving the destruction of rainforests for products like palm oil, soy, beef, pulp and paper, viscose used in clothing, timber and cocoa — to make items that line our local store shelves and to line the pockets of Wall Street bankers.

Tropical rainforests teeming with life are burned, bulldozed and cleared to make room for monoculture crops. Brands we all recognize make products with a short life. But the damage to rainforests is long-lasting and far-reaching.

We help grassroots organizations in places like Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil identify and hold accountable banks and mega-corporations, like Proctor and Gamble, Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo and others, that create the demand or finance the destruction. Our campaigns pressure corporations and hold them accountable for the impact of their supply chains. We bring members of affected communities into their boardrooms and use advanced technology when it is needed to illustrate our concerns.

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