Members of Maroon 5 Support Romania in its Fight Against Illegal Logging

BUCHAREST – On the eve of a spectacular concert in Bucharest’s Constitution Square on June 5, members of three-time Grammy award-winning American rock group Maroon 5 sent a letter to Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, offering their support for Romania in its fight against illegal logging. The letter addresses Prime Minister Julien Cioloș and Minister of the Environment Cristiana Pașca Palmer as well.

Romania harbors some of Europe’s last remaining ancient forests, which the musicians call a “natural wealth unique on the continent.” Home to bears, wolves, and lynx, this mythical wilderness is under severe threat from illegal harvesting of timber.

In the letter, keyboardist and guitarist Jesse Carmichael and guitarist James Valentine describe their commitment to supporting efforts to counter illegal logging around the world. In collaboration with U.S. NGOs the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Reverb, the two Maroon 5 members recently released a short film about their experiences supporting sustainable community forestry in Guatemala entitled Instruments of Change: Lessons from the Rainforest (trailer). The musicians write, “With this video, we intend to spread a message of caution and hope, to shine a light on the serious threats facing forests globally and inspire change.”

Jesse and James describe their interest in Romania, “We understand that Romania’s forests are significantly threatened by illegal logging. We wish to express our support for Romania as you work to create a long-term model that encourages sustainable forest management, deters illegal practices, and protects the nation’s internationally renowned national parks, for the benefit of the Romanian people for generations to come.”

The letter was shared by social media and received thousands of positive comments from Romanians who praised the musicians for their support on social media sites.

EIA’s forest campaign is dedicated to ending illegal logging worldwide, and has been focused on the unique forests of Romania for years. Reverb, led by Guster frontman Adam Gardner and Lauren Sullivan, seeks to promote environmentally-friendly music tours and ethical sourcing of wood for musical instruments.

Read the full letter from members of Maroon 5 to the President of Romania.

Watch the full 20-minute documentary Instruments of Change: Lessons from the Rainforest.

Contact:
Maggie Dewane, EIA Press Officer, mdewane@eia-global.org, +1 202 483 6621