The Campaign to Stop GE Trees
Genetically engineered trees pose risks of contaminating forests, damaging ecosystems and harming communities
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Latest News
WRM: Organized land theft for industrial tree plantations in Brazil
A note from Global Justice Ecology Project: Brazil is at the epicenter of targeted biomass production with plans to commercialize industrial plantations of genetically engineered (GE or genetically modified) trees, especially eucalyptus. As we can see in this article...
Tower Hill Botanic Garden Highlights Former TACF Board Members Chestnut Work
Lois Melican and Denis Melican are American chestnut restoration activists and former Board members of The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF). In 2019, the Melicans made the decision to resign from TACF due to the organization's support for the unregulated planting...
Genetic engineering can save the American chestnut tree from a deadly fungus
Below is an excerpt from the 17 December 2020 publication in Massive Science. For the full story click here. If approved, the decision would be the first use of genetic engineering for the purpose of conservation, and has the potential to change eastern US forests if...
The goal of the campaign is to protect native forests, and to defend the rights of forest dependent communities and Indigenous Peoples from the unknown and irreversible risks of releasing genetically engineered (GE) trees.
WHAT ARE GE TREES?
Trees are being genetically engineered for traits such as faster growth, and disease resistance.
GE TREE NEWS
Catch up on recent news, events, articles and education resources about GE trees.
TAKE ACTION
It’s time to mobilize! You can help end the threat of genetically engineered trees.
GE TREES RESOURCES
Arm yourself with information about GE Trees (also called GM Trees)
Sign the Petition
Add your name to stop US government approval of the widespread release of genetically engineered (GE or genetically modified) American chestnut trees into our forests. The risks are huge.
If approved, these GE trees will spread their pollen and seeds freely. This would be the first GE forest tree released in the US, opening the floodgates to others.
It would also be the first-ever intentional release of a fertile genetically modified organism (GMO) into wild ecosystems, opening the door to other uncontrollable GMO releases.
Engineers think they can (re) create nature in the lab, but neither trees nor any species can be replaced by with GE facsimiles. Decades of progress to restore wild American chestnut trees would be lost. This is not restoration, but a dangerous open-air experiment.
There are no long-term risk assessments of this plan and scientists warn such assessments are not possible. American chestnuts can live hundreds of years and have deeply intertwined relationships with other trees, and with insects, songbirds and other wildlife.
Join individuals and organizations across the world in demanding the rejection of genetically engineered trees. We cannot allow this kind of dangerous experimentation with our forests.