Just Forests will highlight their new Just Music Project this weekend at The Music Show.
"The Just Music Project wants to raise awareness amongst musicians and the industry at large that our love of music is linked in a very real way to deforestation," explains a spokesperson. "The most valuable wood species - known as ‘tonewoods’ - are the most sought after for musical instruments and are ofter logged illegally leaving a trail of social depravation, environmental destruction and economic loss on a grand scale."
Founded in 1989, Just Forests celebrate their 21st birthday this year, making them one of Ireland's longest established non-governmental development education organisations working solely on global poverty-related tropical forestry/timber issues from a local development perspective. They have launched a partnership with Irish development agency Concern Worldwide and Tanzania-based NGO Sound & Fair to help encourage Irish musical instrument makers and woodworkers to only use Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified African blackwood in the making of musical instruments.