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GE Trees
Educate yourself with information about GE Trees (also called GM Trees)
We’ve compiled an international list of resources, starting with our steering committee’s organizations. While not complete and always growing, this is a great place to start learning about GE trees and the related issues of tree plantations and biofuels. (GE trees are also known as GMO trees, transgenic trees, genetically modified trees or GM trees.)
Featured Publications
Global Justice Ecology Project (GJEP) resources on GE trees (GMO trees)
- Monoculture Tree Plantations Resources (2017)
- The GE Eucalyptus Fact Sheet – Updated, Aug. 2017
- Our 2015 Fact Sheets on GE Loblolly, Eucalyptus, Poplar, and Chestnut Trees
- 2012 Report, Genetically Engineered Trees and Bioenergy: A Growing Threat to Forests and Communities
- Global Justice Ecology Project and Global Forest Coalition’s 2008 report, GE Trees, Cellulosic Biofuels, Destruction of Forest Biological Diversity
- Genetically Engineered Trees: No Solution to Global Warming: UN COP-8 Briefing No. 2
- GE Trees and Global Warming: The Myth of Carbon Offset Forestry Originally posted by STOP GE Trees Campaign Page.
World Rainforest Movement resources on tree plantations, GE trees and biofuels
- General section on tree plantations
- 2012 Report on tree plantations, An overview of industrial tree plantations in the global South: conflicts, trends, and resistance struggles
- General section on GE Trees
- 2014 report, GE Trees Research: A Country by Country Overview
- 2007 report,
- Transgenic Trees2008 report on biofuels, Ethanol from cellulose: A technology that could spell disaster
BiofuelWatch
- List of resources and reports
- November 2015 report, Last Ditch Climate Option or Wishful Thinking? Bioenergy With Carbon Capture and Storage
- December 2020 report, Negative Emission Technologies: Can They Deliver?
EcoNexus resources on the science of GE trees (GMO trees)
- Steinbrecher, Ricarda and Lorch, Antje. Genetically Engineered Trees & Risk Assessment (2008). Published by the Federation of German Scientists. Presented at CBD COP9 negotiations on GE trees.
- Other publications on the EcoNexus website
Global Forest Coalition
Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN)
- GM Contamination in Canada: The failure to contain living modified organisms – Incidents and impacts
- Genome Editing in Food and Farming: Risks and Unexpected Consequences
Center for Food Safety resources on GE trees (GMO trees)
- General section on GE Trees
- 2013 Report, Genetically Engineered Trees: The New Frontier of Biotechnology
Additional Resources on GE Trees:
Industry Materials:
Additional Resources on Biofuels:
- Biomass Basics from Biofuelwatch, 2018
- Feb 9, 2015 Letter to US EPA from scientists on the dangers of wood-based electricity
- CARBON BRIEF – Report: Subsidize Should End for Many Types of Biomass
Resources From the Blog
NY Times Magazine Promotes GE Trees – We Set the Record Straight
By Anne Petermann, Executive Director, Global Justice Ecology Project An article printed in today’s New York Times Magazine, “Can Genetic Engineering Bring Back the American Chestnut?” by Gabriel Popkin, is a disappointing piece of questionable journalism. In this...
The Washington Post Runs Article on the American Chestnut
Blight wiped out the American chestnut. Parallel efforts are close to bringing it back. The Washington Post December 18, 2019 Adrian Higgins It is hard to overstate the value and cultural importance of the American chestnut tree for those who came before us. The...
Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Tree: A Risk Not Worth Taking
Moms Across America November 23, 2019 Theresa Church and Ruddy Turnstone While the season of “chestnuts roasting on an open fire” is upon us, the public comment period for the genetically engineered American chestnut (GE AC) is imminent. The request to commercialize...
Australia Approves Release of GM and CRISPR Organisms Without Risk Assessment
Federal Government and ‘opposition’ sign off on uncontrolled genetic experiment Wednesday, 13th November 2019 Friends of the Earth is accusing the Federal Government and Labor Party of submitting Australians to a nationwide genetic experiment, for failing to support a...
Response to Pacific Standard article promoting GE American Chestnut Trees
American chestnut tree in Vermont. Photo: Petermann A Controversial Tree? For Good Reason A Response to the article “The Most Controversial Tree in the World” by Rowan Jacobsen printed in the Pacific Standard By Anne Petermann In re-reading the July 24 article, “The...
In These Times Article on the Risks of Genetically Engineered American Chestnut
GJEP Co-Founder Orin Langelle with wild American chestnut tree. Langelle is also a Steering Committee member of the Campaign to STOP GE Trees. Photo: Petermann The GMO American Chestnut: Restoration of a Beloved Species or Biotech Trojan Horse? In These Times 16...
Earth Radio: Reports from Tree Biotech Conference and Threats from CRISPR & GE Trees
Earth Watch 25 June 2019 This week's Earth Watch on the Sojourner Truth show on KPFK Pacifica Los Angeles features Campaign to STOP GE Trees Coordinator Anne Petermann reporting from the 2019 international IUFRO Tree Biotechnology Conference in Raleigh, NC. Petermann...
Counterpunch Runs Piece Highlighting Risks of GE American Chestnut trees
The GE American Chestnut: Restoration of a Beloved Species or Trojan Horse for Tree Biotechnology? Counterpunch, 14 June 2019 by RACHEL SMOLKER – ANNE PETERMANN About a century ago the American chestnut tree was attacked by the introduced fungal pathogen...
Earth Island Journal on Issues Surrounding Transgenic American Chestnut Trees
GE American Chestnut — Restoration of a Beloved Species or Trojan Horse for Tree Biotechnology? Biotech industry hopes that getting genetically engineered chestnut approved for conservation planting will soften public opposition to transgenic trees. Earth Island...
The Ecologist Runs Article on Risks of GE American Chestnut Trees
This article was the Editor's pick in The Ecologist. Tree biotech and the American chestnut The American chestnut is being used as a PR tool for winning over public opinion on the use of biotechnology as a 'tool of conservation'. The Ecologist By Rachel Smolker &...
Telepress Conference on the Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Tree
“Who is Behind the Effort to Legalize Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Trees and Why it Matters” This telepresser was held on May 14, 2019 by the Campaign to STOP GE Trees. It exposes who is funding the research, and discusses the findings of a new White...
NEW: Risks of GE American Chestnut in Independent Science News
The GE American Chestnut – Restoration of a Beloved Species or Trojan Horse for Tree Biotechnology? Independent Science News, 11 June 2019: by Rachel Smolker, Ph.D. (Biofuelwatch) and Anne Petermann (Global Justice Ecology Project) About a century ago the American...
Sign the petition! Stop the Unregulated Release of GE Trees into Wild Forests
Sign on by clicking here or go to form below Researchers are developing a genetically engineered (GE) American chestnut tree and hope to win government approval to plant it throughout the forests of the Eastern US where the trees could spread their GE pollen and seeds...
MEDIA ALERT- May 14 Telepress Conf; Who is behind push for GE chestnut trees & why it matters
MEDIA ALERT - 13 May 2019 CONTACT: +1.314.210.1322; steve@globaljusticeecology.org WEBINAR DETAILS FOR TUESDAY, May 14th TELEPRESS CONFERENCE “Who is Behind the Effort to Legalize Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Trees and Why it Matters” To access the...
Major New White Paper on GE American Chestnut Released
Biotechnology for Forest Health? The Test Case of the Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Download the 48 page white paper here: biotechnology-for-forest-health-test-case-american-chestnut-report-WEB Find the 2-page Executive Summary here:...
Organic Insider Takes on GE American Chestnut Trees
How the Ag-Biotech Industry is Attempting to Manipulate Public Opinion with Unproven Genetically-Engineered Chestnut Trees Source: Organic Insider 8 May 2019 In the 1800s, the American chestnut tree was the predominant species in the Eastern U.S. before blight wiped...
14 May 2019 GE American Chestnut Telepresser Background Information
Telepress Conference Media Alert “Who is Behind the Effort to Legalize Genetically Engineered American Chestnut Trees and Why it Matters” Damning new White Paper on GE American chestnut trees, Resignation of American Chestnut Foundation Board members, response from...
Dr. Rachel Smolker debates risks of deregulating GE American chestnut trees on NPR’s On Point Program
How GMOs Might Save The American Chestnut Tree This program aired 29 April 2019 and was hosted Meghna Chakrabarti. The program is heavily tipped in favor of the two men who speak in favor of using genetically engineering to make American chestnut trees blight...