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E-Mail to Steven Strauss from Concerned OSU Students and Alumni
Open Letter to Steven Strauss, Oregon State University forestry professor and
founder of the Tree Genetic Engineering Research Cooperative(TGERC):
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
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