Protesters Destroy GE Trees in Oregon

Genetix Alert News Release
Contact: Denny Henke 901.438.9907
Date: March 23, 2001

Concerned OSU Students and Alumni Destroy GE Trees at Oregon State
University

Corvallis, OR - In mid-March, 2001 concerned OSU students and alumni
targeted three GE test sites where Poplar and Cottonwood trees are being
grown by Steve Strauss, a forestry professor at Oregon State University and
the founder of the Tree Genetic Engineering research Cooperative. According
to the communiqué the test plots "at these places were independently
assessed and found to be a dangerous experiment of unknown genetic
consequences. "

The communiqué continues "We ringbarked or cut down 90% of your trees at
OSU's site at the Peavey Arboretum on Arboretum Rd. (off Hwy 99W north of
Corvallis, Oregon). At OSU's tract near Half Moon Bend of the Willamette
River (just south of Garden Ave. off Hwy 20 between Corvallis and Albany),
we eliminated 60% of the trees. Lastly, every tree was cut down in one test
plot at OSU's Agricultural Experiment Station in Klamath Falls, Oregon (on
Washburn Way, across from the Kingsley Field). In all, over 1200 of your GE
research trees were destroyed."

Oregon State University (OSU) is the number one university in the world for
GE tree research. Among other studies, OSU experiments with engineering
Monsanto's Roundup Ready herbicide into the cells of poplar trees.

This action by the OSU students comes just weeks after the ELF burned a
research cotton gin in Visalia, CA. Since November 1998 there have been over
40 anti-genetic direct actions in North America. The direct actionists
maintain that biotechnology is completely unnecessary and is being developed
at the expense of human and ecological health solely to increase the profits
of large multinational corporations. With the North American growing season
at hand it is likely that direct actions against facilities producing and
testing genetically engineered organisms will resume.

Concerning the questions about hybrids in general: the mass replacement of
native forests with ecologically unstable monoculture hybrid tree farms is a
gamble with terrifying consequences. The only selection traits for what to
breed into these hybrids are economical ones, so therefore the non-GE hybrid
tree farms are an ecological threat and in the case of TGERC especially are
a legitimate target on their own.

>From TGERC's website http://www.fsl.orst.edu/tgerc/genfor2.htm : "The TGERC
conducts research to facilitate commercial uses of transgenic trees...TGERC
has focused on hybrid poplars, whose clonal propagation and amenability to
standard gene transfer methods facilitates genetic engineering. After
insertion of genes into elite hybrids in the laboratory, they can be rapidly
propagated, field tested for normal expression of their new traits, and then
enter production...TGERC relies heavily on support and collaborative work
from (1) its Member industries and government agencies; (2) competitive
grants to accelerate work on its more fundamental projects; and (3)
leadership and subsidies provided by Oregon State University.

*Attached is copy of the communiqué.

Open Letter to Steve Strauss, Oregon State University forestry professor and
founder of the Tree Genetic Engineering Research Cooperative:

Dear Steve,

During mid-March, three of your genetically engineered (GE) tree research
sites were visited by night. The test plots of Populus genus trees (poplars
and cottonwoods) at these places were independently assessed and found to be
a dangerous experiment of unknown genetic consequences.

Therefore, we ringbarked or cut down 90% of your trees at OSU's site at the
Peavey Arboretum on Arboretum Rd. (off Hwy 99W north of Corvallis, Oregon).
At OSU's tract near Half Moon Bend of the Willamette River (just south of
Garden Ave. off Hwy 20 between Corvallis and Albany), we eliminated 60% of
the trees. Lastly, every tree was cut down in one test plot at OSU's
Agricultural Experiment Station in Klamath Falls, Oregon (on Washburn Way,
across from the Kingsley Field). In all, over 1200 of your GE research trees
were destroyed.

Some of the trees we targeted may have been hybrids and not technically GE.
However, your Tree Genetic Engineering Research Cooperative (TGERC) focuses
on hybrid poplars as its method for delivering modified genes into its
frankentrees. All of the program's research on the Populus genus is used for
the goal of patenting and commercializing GE trees.

Steve, your exploits with TGERC are socially and environmentally
unacceptable. You claim to be undertaking basic independent studies to
address environmental concerns, but that claim is belied by the millions of
dollars your program receives from huge timber corporations to develop fast
growing supertrees for them.

The expansion of GE from agriculture to industrial resource extraction, as
with trees for timber production, exhibits the slippery slope of
biotechnology permeating every part of human interaction with the rest of
our natural world.

In 1999, people used similar methods, as we have to attack an AstraZeneca GE
tree research site in England. AstraZeneca said the incident seriously
affected its eight-year research program and the company decided to end it
soon after the incident.

Our goal is to do to TGERC what others did to AstraZeneca's program.

You may recall your thoughts about the event: "These environmental
extremists are unfortunately making us very paranoid," said Steve Strauss,
forestry professor at Oregon State University (Reuters News Service feature
article, "Eco-warriors Stunt U.S. Biotech Tree Research," March 2, 2000).

Well, Steve, as the saying goes, just because you're paranoid, it doesn't
mean that we're not out to get your research.

Very truly yours,
concerned OSU students and alumni

^^^^^^^^^^^^^END COMMUNIQUÉ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
GenetiX Alert is an independent news center that works with other
above-ground, anti-genetic engineering organizations. GA has no knowledge
of the person(s) who carryout any underground actions. GA does not advocate
illegal acts, but seeks to explain why people destroy genetically engineered
crops and undertake other nonviolent actions aimed at resisting genetic
engineering and increasing the difficulty for entities which seek to advance
genetic engineering or its products. GA spokespeople are available for media
interviews. An archive of anti-biotech direct actions can be found at
http://tao.ca/~ban/ar.htm

Reporters and other interested parties may contact GenetiX Alert at:
cell phone: 901.438.9907,
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contact: Denny Henke