The Wilderness Society's Answer to MBD

Bob Burton of Wilderness International, an Australian environmentalist group, sent the following letter to the PR firm of Mongoven, Biscoe & Duchin (MBD), in response to MBD's misleading "survey" of environmental groups:

Response from Wilderness Society, May 26, 1995

Dear Bartholomew,

Thank you for your letter and survey of 25th January 1995 seeking details of environmental NGOs in the Asian region.

The Wilderness Society will not be assisting in your survey in view of your activities described in the October-December 1993 edition of PR Watch ("Spies for Hire"). I assume that you are familiar with the article but if not suggest that you subscribe to PR Watch.

I have also circulated the PR Watch article and our recommendation that NGOs do not co-operate with your survey to environmental groups in Australia, New Zealand and a number of groups in Asia. I also specifically mentioned your survey to a major gathering of environmental activists from Australia and Papua New Guinea as an example of the activities of public relations firms.

May your survey and the campaigns you run on behalf of your corporate clients fail.

Yours sincerely,

Bob Burton, Coordinator
Wilderness International
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia