Lappersfortbosbezetters/Lappersfortwoodoccupiers12 oktober 2009 – 17:22

Lappersfort Forest, Brugge has become the location for the launch of a revolutionary new company: Lappersforest Oxygen Factory (LOF). LOF was born as an innovative project to highlight the lack of action on the part of the Flemish government to commit to saving these iconic 3.2 Hectares of wrongly designated forest.
Lappersfort Forest is the symbol for the 10,000 hectares of forest designated wrongly as concrete in Flanders alone. To rectify these planning mistakes made in the 70`s, a lot of money is required. The current `owner` demands to be compensated in accordance with the industrial designation, making the cost of the forest 1.5 million euros. The current compensation system does not work: there are no zones designated for planting compensation forests, while the governments compensation funds are flush.
The oxygen factory industry (aka forest conservation) is on the agenda for the Kopenhagen Climate summit in December. Older forests have a higher productivity level in CO2 storage than younger ones, and although there are already mechanisms in place for the compensatory planting of trees there are currently no incentives for not chopping. The UN intends to rectify this by rewarding governments and individuals alike for saving forests.

For decades economists have been accused of not being able to count as the costs to society were never calculated in. Recent cooperation between science and economics has led to the 'valorisation' of ecosystems and biodiversity. Economists working on this for the EU are due to release figures by June 2010. By attaching price tags to ecosystems they estimate that deforestation costs 2 to 5 billion every year, more than the current credit crisis.

The economic value of a forest is calculated by looking at the alternative systems (like water reservoirs) that would be needed to compensate for the work the forest does. Economic functions provided by trees include water purification and storage, CO2 processing and oxygen production, dust filtration, radioactive waste breakdown and medicine and food production. It does not even account for the psychological value of a forest, as provider of stress reduction.

In the case of Lappersfort Forest, Dutch studies that are more than 10 years old estimate the natural economic value at 1 million Euros per Ha. However, more recent studies with international acclaim (2002) estimate a comparable forest at 2- to 300 times this amount over 20 years. According to these calculations the threatened piece would come in at 640 million Euros. Meaning the asking price of 1.5 million is a fraction of the cost (0,25%) of its real ecological value.

The international market in voluntary forest conservation creates a wider investment context. Outside the UN there has emerged a market based on private initiative of forest buyers who intend to leave the trees intact. This booming market was worth $335 million in 2007 and $705 million in 2008. Investors consist of institutions and individuals that act out of ethical concern or in anticipation of the enormous global market in forest credits. Act now, be at the forefront of the ever expanding forest market.

Alright the serious bit. 1300 hectares of forest are cut per hour worldwide. In a easy 30 hours chopping, Flanders would be cleared of all zone-Alien forest. These forests are the ones essential for CO2 reduction and temperature stabilization. Putting a price tag on lives is impossible but we need these trees to live. So we`re searching for donations, €50 per square meter.

Invest in the future, buy a share in the Lappersforest Oxygen Factory.

Contact with the occupiers: press spokesperson = Dita (from the Dijlevalley, 11 months in the Lappersfort forest): 0470/968651.