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A petition inspired by a Mongabay story has topped its goal of 110,000 signatures, and keeps growing.
“Logging, mining companies lock eyes on a biodiverse island like no other” was published on July 31st by Mongabay and the online petition appeared about 10 days later after the story garnered much attention on social media platforms.
In the story, writer Gianluca Cerullo explains that Woodlark Island sits far off the coast of Papua New Guinea and is swathed in old growth forests home to animals found nowhere else on the planet. However, the island and its inhabitants face an uncertain future: lured by high-value timber, a logging company is planning to clear 40% of Woodlark’s forests, and researchers say this could drive many species to extinction.
The author reports that the company proposes to then plant large tree plantations, and he writes that a gold mine is being proposed for the island as well.
The petition is aimed at the Papua New Guinea Forestry Authority and can be viewed here.
Banner image via EJAtlas.org.