New alliance formed to combat illegal logging, Solutions!, Online Exclusives, May 2005, Vol. 88(5)

Illegal logging contributes to the devastation of ecological systems, makes products from legally harvested logs uncompetitive in the marketplace, negatively impacts the socio-economics of nearby communities, discourages legitimate timber producers from investing in sustainable forestry practices, and undermines public confidence in all forest products. Illegal logging continues to grow as an international issue that the forest products community must step up and help stamp out. That is why the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has joined Conservation International (CI) to create The Alliance to Combat Illegal Logging.

In a position statement opposing illegal logging released in early 2002, AF&PA defined illegal logging as the theft of timber or logs; cutting in parks, reserves or similar areas; or using corrupt practices to obtain government approval for cutting. For years, AF&PA members, who comprise the majority of American wood and paper product producers, have opposed those practices. Since 2002, AF&PA members, through their required participation in the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® program, have been required to implement strategies to help thwart illegal logging worldwide. In early 2003, AF&PA joined with CI to provide comments and recommendations to the Bush Administration in its development of the President’s Initiative Against Illegal Logging.

Problem areas
Illegal logging is a serious problem in many developing nations, where trees are a valuable source of income but the basic tenets of sustainable forestry have not taken hold. The problem is further exacerbated when countries don’t have the appropriate laws to protect sites of special ecological importance, and may not have the enforcement means or political will necessary to identify and punish those investing in and doing the illegal logging. Recent concerns about illegal logging have focused on Indonesia, the Amazon Basin and Central and South America, the Congo Basin in Africa, and Russia just to name a few. However, in a recent AF&PA-commissioned study by Seneca Creek Associates, LLC and Wood Resources International, LLC, China shows up as the nation receiving the largest volume of logs and lumber of suspicious origin imported from Southeast Asia, Africa, and Russia.

The study shows that illegal logging—by flooding the world market with large amounts of cheap, unsustainable wood—costs U.S. exporters in the neighborhood of $460 million annually. That is a lot of business U.S. companies are losing. According to the study, illegally harvested logs can be as much as 50% cheaper than legal logs. Since the cost of the log is the largest part of the cost of any forest product, that illegal log gives the bad actor a distinct cost advantage over a law-abiding company. Further, the study finds illegal logging depresses the cost of wood on the world market by between seven and sixteen percent. That affects all forest landowners, big and small, by driving down the value of their legally and sustainable harvested trees.

AF&PA and its members are very excited to formally join with Conservation International in the battle against illegal logging. CI has years of experience in the fight against illegal logging. The group’s current international activities include helping develop other livelihoods as alternatives to illegal logging; helping foreign governments reform their laws to improve security for protected areas; and providing assistance to train and educate enforcement systems—from rangers to police officers, prosecutors and judges—about their roles in thwarting illegal logging.

The Alliance has identified a number of key projects. Working with Falcon Informatics and Digital Globe, the Alliance will use remote sensing technology to identify sites of illegal logging activity, particularly in protected areas. The Alliance also endeavors to strengthen local enforcement capabilities in order to suppress commercial-scale illegal logging while developing effective deterrents. We will help build support in producer countries among responsible, local forest sector companies and other interested parties to promote good governance in the forest sector. Following CI’s previous successes, the Alliance hopes to reduce illegal logging pressure by encouraging legal reform and targeting development assistance to create livelihood alternatives.

CI, AF&PA and its members will also use their existing relationships, with both governments and the global industry, to educate about the devastation caused by illegal logging and to promote the tenets of sustainable forestry. AF&PA and CI will also both jointly engage in discussions with U.S. government agencies—Department of State, USDA Forest Service and the U.S. Agency for International Development—as well as Congress, to promote the Alliance’s objectives and to identify and seek federal funding in support of the Alliance’s activities.

AF&PA looks forward to working with Conservation International and project participants to continue the fight against illegal logging. It is time to work together to stop this growing problem that hurts the environment, the economy and those companies that are doing right by our forests.

About the author:
W. Henson Moore is president and CEO for American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), Washington, D.C. AF&PA is the national trade association of the forest, paper and wood products industry. AF&PA represents more than 240 companies and related associations that engage in or represent the manufacture of pulp, paper, paperboard and wood products. Visit AF&PA online at www.afandpa.org.