“The illegal trade in wildlife (which includes wood) has become a major international issue of national security in many countries. The trade in illegally-logged timber is having a devastating effect on the world’s biological diversity.”

 

“We are calling on all Irish and international musicians, music lovers and musical instrument-makers to help put a stop to this destructive practice, by insisting on musical instruments made only from legal and sustainably harvested wood.”
Tom Roche

Founder, Just Forests

The Musician Pledge states:

Keep Musical Instruments Free of Illegal Wood – Become a FRIEND of WOOD

Many of our beautiful woodwind instruments such as, clarinets, oboes, flutes and other woodwinds are made from threatened ‘tonewoods’ like African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon). Just Music, a project of Just Forests, links our love of music to our dependance on ‘tonewoods’ for our beautiful musical instruments.

“Eighty of the world’s  estimated 200 species of wood used to make our beautiful musical instruments are on the brink of extinction,” according to Roche.

Musicians are very important to spreading the concept of sustainability and Fair Trade in timber.

 

 

Widespread illegal logging is placing  the world’s precious ‘tonewoods’ which we treasure for our musical instruments at risk, and as such, the future of music as we know it. As musicians dedicated to our art and craft of  protecting the earth’s natural resources, we call on everyone involved in the sourcing, crafting and production of musical instruments to join us in our commitment to eliminate all trade in illegally logged timber and forest products. We will not buy a new instrument without asking

  1. a) where the wood comes from
  2. b) if it was harvested legally and sustainably and
  3. c) if it is from a certified source-preferably a forest certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards of goodforest management.

Let’s play Fair Music with Fair Trade wood, its in all our interests

We support the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) which becomes law in March 2013 and other laws that prohibit trade in illegally sourced wood. We also oppose the efforts currently underway to weaken the Lacey Act in the United States of America. The Lacey Act is the equivalent to our EU Timber Regulation (EUTR). We urge Irish and international legislators, timber suppliers and musical instrument-makers to ensure that our music has a positive impact on the environment rather than contributing to forest destruction through illegal logging. We call on all musicians regardless of your particular instrument to become a FRIEND of WOOD by signing the petition. We will also support Just Forests ‘Sound of Wood Concerts’ as a means of driving home the message of sustainability.

We are very grateful for the support from the following musicians and donors:

Musicians wishing to support this call to action and have their name listed here can contact Tom Roche on 086 8049389 or email tomroche@justforests.org

 

 

The Chieftains

Redmond O’Toole-8 string Classical guitarist

Sharon Shannon – accordion

Martin Doyle-Flute-maker and player

John O’Conor-pianist

Paul Brady-singer songwriter guitarist

Liam O’Manlaoi-singer/songwriter

Brendan Keeley – singer songwriter

Deirdre Cartwright-singer guitarist

Daithi Rua-singer songwriter guitarist

Dave Fanning – DJ

John Spillane-singer songwriter guitarist

John Paul Prior-The Music Maker Shop, Dublin

Concern Worldwide

Trocaire.