Timber Trade Research Articles

Correction: Archaeological Perspectives on the Norwegian-Dutch Timber Trade (1500–1700 CE)

Correction: Archaeological Perspectives on the Norwegian-Dutch Timber Trade (1500–1700 CE)

Analyzing the Impact of EU’s Legality Requirements Policies on Sustainable Timber and Sawnwood Trade—Focusing on Tropical Wood Trade

This study analyzes the impact of the EU′s policy to prohibit the import of illegally harvested timber on the trade of tropical timber and sawnwood. The analysis uses a difference-in-differences approach based on gravity models, with panel data from over 193 countries that trade tropical timber and sawnwood. The result of the analysis shows that the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) reduces the trade of illegally harvested timber. It further suggests that the EUTR caused a relatively larger reduction in tropical sawnwood (−0.21%) than that of tropical timber (0.07%). In addition, the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) appeared to cause a significant reduction in tropical sawnwood (−0.07~−0.05%), whereas tropical timber did not appear to have been significantly impacted. In particular, the reduction in timber exports in countries that have signed the VPA, which aims to encourage exports of legally produced timber, has significant implications for both the EU and timber exporters preparing for the VPA, as both parties strive to expand the VPA. The results of this study suggest that the EU needs to make additional efforts to address the decline in exports from countries that signed the VPA.

The Baltic Timber Trade and the Port of Riga: Economic Empowerment of Middlemen and New Entrepreneurs in Imperial Russia’s Western Provinces (1860s to 1914)

The Baltic Timber Trade and the Port of Riga: Economic Empowerment of Middlemen and New Entrepreneurs in Imperial Russia’s Western Provinces (1860s to 1914)

Timber Assemblage, Militarization, and Entangled People’s Lives at the Indo (Naga)-Myanmar Borderland

The paper engages on the assemblage of timber production and transaction at Indo (Naga)-Myanmar borderland, Manipur state, Northeast India, an emerging tributary of India’s Act East Policy, yet characterized by several marginalities in terms of state development parameters [and governance] entwist in historically militarized setting. The paper primarily looks at different factors, actors, flows, and drivers of timber production and transaction across the Indo-Myanmar border from the Sagaing region, Myanmar, to Manipur, India. Rather, this cycle and flows of timber coalesced with economic and geopolitical intricacies of the borderland thereby engender occupation of multiple authorities and governments. The paper provides an account of how these different authorities negotiate and co-regulate over the production and taxation of timber to meet certain revenue goals and aspirations beyond the normative understanding of legality and illegality – frontier of a kind in its own might. In reference to this network of timber trade, the paper further dwells into conversation of everyday experiences of militarization, livelihoods, village roads, and infrastructures are closely entangled around timber production, transaction, and its allied activities. In a nutshell, the paper argues that timber trade at borderland represent an assemblage of multifaceted realities and practices around the intricate socio-political and economic dynamics.

Archaeological Perspectives on the Norwegian-Dutch Timber Trade (1500–1700 CE)

AbstractDuring the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Dutch Republic heavily relied on imported timber for the construction of its cities, dikes, and ships. This timber originated from the Baltic Sea, the German Rhineland, and the "Little East," but primarily from the coastal areas of southern Norway. This article examines the archaeological remains of the timber trade between the Dutch Republic and Norway, emphasizing the study of material culture recovered from archaeological excavations and dendrochronology to complement historical sources from the era.

Profitability Drivers in Malaysian Timber Trading Firms: The Role of Leverage and Liquidity

Profitability Drivers in Malaysian Timber Trading Firms: The Role of Leverage and Liquidity

The potential impact of legality requirements for China’s imported timber: a global forest product model‐based analysis

Utilizing the Global Forest Products Model (GFPM), this paper analyzes the potential impacts of China’s timber import legality requirement policies. Two alternative scenarios are compared with the baseline scenario: (1) China requires that imported timber must comply with the requirements of Verified Legal Compliance (VLC), (2) China imposes tighter requirements for imported timber, which must come from sustainably managed forests and meet Forest Certification (FC) requirements. The results show a decline in log production but an increase in processed wood exports to high‐risk countries, suggesting a move towards more valuable wood processing. Both high‐ and low‐risk countries are expected to see an increase in forest stocks. Welfare analysis indicates that high‐risk countries will benefit from industrial upgrades, while China might face welfare losses. Nevertheless, the enforcement of legal standards for timber imports into China is likely to enhance the perceived legitimacy of the sources of domestic timber materials, thereby facilitating the re‐entry of processed timber products into developed markets. This study proposes that China’s timber import regulations could offer mutual advantages, aiding in the fight against illegal logging and encouraging the legal timber trade.

Timber trade in 17th-century Europe: different wood sources for artworks of Flemish painters

The former Spanish Netherlands experienced a period of social, cultural and economic prosperity in the seventeenth century, with Antwerp as its most important commercial and artistic centre. The era’s vibrant art scene, once pivotal culturally, economically, and diplomatically, now offers invaluable insights for scientific studies on art, trade, and craftsmanship. In a study on 294 panel paintings by or related to two famous Flemish artists, Jacques Jordaens (1593–1678) and Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641), we applied classical art historical techniques, archival research, dendrochronology, and the study of panel maker’s and guild marks on the painting’s reverse to gain insights into the precise time of tree felling, the geographical provenance of the wood, and the panel makers patronised by the painters. The majority of the paintings (~ 80%), which were subjected to a dendrochronological analysis, could be dated and the results accorded well with the concomitant art historical assessment on authorship. Besides an active and well-known Baltic timber trade which provided over 71% of all the planks examined, straight-grained oak trees were also sourced from western Central Europe (20%). Interestingly, planks from the Baltic and the Ardennes region (France/Belgium) were used together in three different paintings, likely cut apart from larger panels. Employing a multidisciplinary approach to a comprehensive painting collection by individual painters provides not only a new tool to determine a painting’s date and authorship but also allows for a better understanding of the contemporary timber trade and associated craftsmanship.

Development of a DNA macroarray for the molecular biological identification of trade-relevant tropical CITES timber species and their look-alikes

Abstract The control authorities of timber trade lack quick and easy methods to verify the legality of the traded product. This includes the clear identification of the timber species. In this study, a simple genetic method, the macroarray technique, was modified and optimised for this purpose. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) was used as barcode region. Specific probes were designed and tested using this barcode of trade-relevant, CITES protected wood species and their look-alikes. The results reveal that 61 of these probes are suitable for identification purposes. Hence, 32 of the 50 investigated species can be clearly identified using the developed macroarray. Additional 15 species are represented by probes in groups of two to three species, which enables a delimitation of the species present. For four species, no identification was possible applying the probes created. The findings indicate the potential of time and cost savings compared to currently established methods in species control in the timber trade.

Timber DNA release using focused ultrasound extraction (FUSE) for genetic species identification

The use of genetic data for timber species and population assignment is a powerful tool for combating the illegal timber trade, but the challenges of extracting DNA from timber have prevented the routine use of genetics as a supply chain management tool. To overcome these challenges, we explored the feasibility of focused ultrasound extraction (FUSE) for rapid DNA release from timber. Using high-pressure ultrasound pulses, FUSE generates a cavitation bubble cloud that disintegrates samples into acellular debris, resulting in the mechanical release of DNA. In this work, FUSE was applied to white oak (Quercus alba) timber shavings to test the feasibility of using FUSE for timber DNA extraction for the first time. Results showed that FUSE processing disintegrated the tissue samples and released significant quantities of DNA. After five minutes of tissue processing DNA quantities of 0.21 ± 0.02 ng/mg, 0.99 ± 0.32 ng/mg, and 0.14 ± 0.01 ng/mg, were released from medium, coarse, and combination shaving groups, respectively. Amplification and sequencing of regions within the matK and rbcL chloroplast genes confirmed that the quality of DNA prepared with FUSE was suitable for PCR and short-read sequencing applications. Overall, these results show that FUSE can serve as a DNA sample preparation method capable of releasing high-quality DNA from timber in a fraction of the time required by conventional extraction methods. Based on the improved efficiency of DNA release with FUSE, ongoing work aims to develop this technology into portable systems that can be used to rapidly prepare timber samples for genetic species identification.

The Political Economy of International Commodity Cartels: An Economic History of the European Timber Trade in the 1930s, written by Elina Kuorelahti

The Political Economy of International Commodity Cartels: An Economic History of the European Timber Trade in the 1930s, written by Elina Kuorelahti

Current Perspectives in the Forensic Analysis of Timbers using Vibrational Spectroscopy: A Review

Wildlife crime has increased significantly with respect to timbers such as illegal timber trading, logging, harvesting, and counterfeiting. It has tremendously drained the economy of different countries since timber trafficking at the global level has an average annual net worth of US$ 50-150 billion. Moreover, timbers can act as important forensic evidence as they can be found at the crime scenes revealing the relationships between the crime scene and corpus delicti. Since ancient times, various traditional techniques have been used for timber identification such as anatomical investigation by visual method at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. However, morphological and anatomical techniques have some advantages, such as cost effectiveness, and limitations as they require experienced personnel. Vibrational spectroscopic tools such as infrared and Raman spectroscopy help in discriminating various species of timber as different timber species have unique phytochemicals. By examining the concentrations of cellulose, lignin, and hemicelluloses, the chemical composition can also be estimated. Herein, this review is carried out using vibrational spectroscopic methods for timber identification to combat criminal activities related to timbers for the dissemination of justice. Recent advancements and prospects are also emphasized in this review paper.

Analyzing the Eucalyptus Timber Value Chain in Thailand: Profit Distribution and Opportunities for Improvement

The Thai forestry sector relies greatly on Eucalyptus as a raw material. The rapid expansion of plantations during the last few decades and the high demand for Eucalyptus for several purposes has led to numerous supply chain practices. A comprehensive understanding of the Eucalyptus value chain is lacking in Thailand, which has consequences for optimization, sustainability, and profitability aspects. This study analyzed actors and their activities along the value chain and estimated added value and profit margin benefit distributions. The study method involved a value chain analysis approach, whereby input data were collected from the following groups: seedling suppliers and developers, farmers and tree growers, timber traders and collectors, intermediaries, processors, wholesalers, and consumers via key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and group discussions. The results revealed the vertical integration of Eucalyptus timber businesses, where sapling breeders were the major input suppliers with a significant role in the value chain based on the role of controlling the majority of seedling production, promoting cultivation, and ensuring the raw material supply for the pulp industry through a full-cycle membership program. Total gross marketing margin was highest (90.6%) in the path of the pulp mill industry and lowest in the path of the biomass power plant (73.4%). The profit share of growers varied between 9.9% and 26.6% depending on the path and chain. The overall benefit distribution analysis demonstrated a positive gross profit margin but minor distribution to the growers. Our study determined that decision-makers should create supportive programs, funding opportunities, and infrastructural support for research and development, capacity building, and regulation to ensure suitable benefits for all actors in the Eucalyptus timber value chain in Thailand.

‘It Is Said That at Least 300,000 rt of Capital are Required for a Raft Trade’

Although the Dutch timber trade from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century has been the subject of many historical studies, the development of the capital-intensive timber wholesale trade has remained rather underexposed by economic historians with regard to the actors involved. This is surprising since a capital of up to 600,000 Reichstaler had to be raised for the Dutch timber trade; amounts that were hardly invested in any other commercial enterprise in Germany at the time. The article therefore focuses on the timber wholesalers of the eighteenth century and analyzes in detail, based on our own archival research and previous research results, how the timber wholesalers organized their business (business strategies, business practices, etc.) and what significance their income had for the economic development of the participating economic regions of West and South-West Germany in the long term. It appears that around 1750 the German timber wholesaler and the timber companies from the Black Forest had long since driven out their Dutch competitors and acquired large fortunes. With the Dutch timber trade, capitalist practices (creation and management of companies, accounting, new methods of credit financing, etc.) also spread, which also formed an important building block for the further development of the South-West and West German economy. However, the most important thing was undoubtedly the emergence of a risk-loving entrepreneurial class with a sufficient capital base and business knowledge, which had long since broken away from 'artisan' self-reliance. Because the timber wholesalers often also invested their capital acquired in the Dutch timber trade in other industries, and these often formed a crystallization point for the West and South-West German industrialization after 1815, it can be said that the timber trade with the Netherlands not only generated an enormous volume in the eighteenth century and supported West German economic growth from 1740 onwards, but in the long term also contributed to the economic and social structural changes of the nineteenth century.

A Deep Learning Method for Log Diameter Measurement Using Wood Images Based on Yolov3 and DeepLabv3+

Wood volume is an important indicator in timber trading, and log diameter is one of the primary parameters used to calculate wood volume. Currently, the most common methods for measuring log diameters are manual measurement or visual estimation by log scalers, which are laborious, time consuming, costly, and error prone owing to the irregular placement of logs and large numbers of roots. Additionally, this approach can easily lead to misrepresentation of data for profit. This study proposes a model for automatic log diameter measurement that is based on deep learning and uses images to address the existing problems. The specific measures to improve the performance and accuracy of log-diameter detection are as follows: (1) A dual network model is constructed combining the Yolov3 algorithm and DeepLabv3+ architecture to adapt to different log-end color states that considers the complexity of log-end faces. (2) AprilTag vision library is added to estimate the camera position during image acquisition to achieve real-time adjustment of the shooting angle and reduce the effect of log-image deformation on the results. (3) The backbone network is replaced with a MobileNetv2 convolutional neural network to migrate the model to mobile devices, which reduces the number of network parameters while maintaining detection accuracy. The training results show that the mean average precision of log-diameter detection reaches 97.28% and the mean intersection over union (mIoU) of log segmentation reaches 92.22%. Comparisons with other measurement models demonstrate that the proposed model is accurate and stable in measuring log diameter under different environments and lighting conditions, with an average accuracy of 96.26%. In the forestry test, the measurement errors for the volume of an entire truckload of logs and a single log diameter are 1.20% and 0.73%, respectively, which are less than the corresponding error requirements specified in the industry standards. These results indicate that the proposed method can provide a viable and cost-effective solution for measuring log diameters and offering the potential to improve the efficiency of log measurement and promote fair trade practices in the lumber industry.

State-Directed Wood Industry Upgrading for Forest Protection and Economic Development in the Global South: Insights From Teak Processing in the Lao PDR

Asymmetric timber trade between least-developed countries with large forest resources but backward processing industries and emerging economies has led to an uneven distribution of value in international timber commodity chains. Selling their raw timber with no domestic value added contributes little to socio-economic development and is associated with high rates of deforestation. The Lao PDR has served as a raw timber frontier for advanced timber industries in neighboring countries, leading to forest loss and related environmental problems. In response, since 2015, the Lao government has adopted drastic policy measures to end forest degradation and upgrade its timber industry (e.g., log export ban). Using teak as an example, our study provides empirical ex-post evidence on the effectiveness of state-imposed timber industry upgrading policies. The study relies on expert interviews with key policy actors at national and local levels, as well as an enterprise survey and cluster analysis conducted in Xayyabouly province. These drastic policies had far-reaching implications for the structure of the timber industry and the configuration of the timber value chain and rural development.

ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and Machine learning for sustainable wood sourcing and species Identification: Applications to wood forensics

Wood forensics, a vital tool in addressing global concerns surrounding illegal logging and the authenticity of wood products, plays a pivotal role in promoting sustainable forestry practices. The integration of Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and machine learning presents a potent approach to streamline identification processes and enhance responsible wood sourcing. ATR-FTIR facilitates the detailed characterization of wood components by analyzing spectral data, revealing unique chemical signatures associated with different wood species. This study focuses on Eucalyptus, Dalbergia, and Populus wood species in India, revealing common peaks related to cellulose, flavones, hemicellulose, and lignin constituents. Isolation Forest (iForest) identifies outliers, subsequently removed for supervised modelling, while Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduces dimensionality effectively. Tree-based supervised machine learning algorithms, including Decision Tree, Extra Tree, Random Forest, and CatBoost classifiers, enhances the accuracy of wood species discrimination by deciphering complex patterns within ATR-FTIR spectra. Further, evaluation through various performance metrics supports the comparative analysis. The outcomes of this study hold significant value for law enforcement agencies in combating illegal logging and timber trade, and potential applications in quality control for timber industries. This research substantiates its real-world applicability, marking a noteworthy advancement in the evolving field of wood forensics.

The Impact of Natural Disturbances on the Central European Timber Market—An Analytical Study

Central European countries are strategic wood exporters in the European and international wood trade. In the context of wood exporters, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and Austria are the important countries providing the development and stability of the forestry and wood sector. The share of these countries’ exports in total EU exports represents more than 52% of the volume of wood exported over 5 years. After the Netherlands, the five mentioned countries recorded the highest increase in roundwood production of all EU and EFTA countries in the years 2000–2022 (from 46% (AT)–126% (CZ)), and the European average is 26%. The last decade has been characterised by a significant destabilisation of the Central European timber market as a result of natural disturbances linked to climate change, which also threatens the long-term competitiveness and preservation of this sector in the economic systems of national economies. The article provides an analytical insight into the historical development of natural calamities and their macroeconomic consequences in Central European countries. The data forecast an unfavourable development of the timber market in Europe caused by the ongoing calamity situation, the pricing policy of the timber trade, the oversaturation of the market with lower-quality calamity timber, insufficient processing capacities for primary processing of wood and its use in secondary processing, and, last but not least, the limited stock of timber in the coming years in selected Central European countries (due to an extreme increase in harvesting plans within the last 5 years, with consequences that will be felt in the coming decade). For the continued economic function of forests and the availability of wood supply for future generations, the current evolution of calamities in forest ecosystems is critical, and long-term strategic measures based on empirical data are necessary. The information presented in this paper can serve as a tool for the objectification of strategic decisions in the development of forestry policies in selected countries.

Экономические связи Саратова и Уфы на рубеже XIX–XX вв. (лесная торговля)

The article shows one of the main directions in economic contacts between Saratov and Ufa – timber trade in the second half of the XIX – early XX centuries. The main source was the reporting of the Ufa branch of the Volga-Kama Commercial Bank, one of the largest private banks of the Russian Empire, whose branches opened in Saratov in 1871, and in Ufa in 1873. The main feature of the Ufa forest trade in Saratov was the use of promissory notes due to the need to quickly sell goods before the end of navigation. The documentation of the Volga-Kama Bank contains information about specific Saratov entrepreneurs.

Structural, Exterior, and Interior Medium of Wood as a Holistic Museum Experience: A Case Study of OMM (Odunpazarı Modern Museum)

The fundamental research inquiry in this study revolves around wood materials’ diverse facets, including structural identities, contextual considerations, interior and external spatial applications, and their user experiences. To address this research, a comprehensive literature review, case study, and survey were conducted. The objective being to elucidate technical, functional, sensory, perceptual, and psychological impacts of wood in a sample structure where it is the primary material in the overarching user experience. The Odunpazarı Modern Museum (OMM), conceptualized by architect Kengo Kuma and inaugurated in 2019 in Eskişehir, stands as a testament to the historical significance of the timber trade in the region. The deliberate choice of wood as the primary construction material serves as a tribute to this historical narrative. The conspicuous incorporation of wooden lath materials into both the external and interior spaces signify a conscious reference to the region’s historical heritage and aligns with sustainability principles in design. Factors such as form characteristics, dimensional distinctions, spatial arrangements, and the extent of surface interactions collectively contribute to the compelling effect of this integrative approach. Within the confines of the museum, unconventional partitioning is implemented, and the strategic arrangement of masses results in multiple facades, even in the absence of overt wooden surfaces. The exterior impact of the wooden shell complements its interior application. For this reason, OMM enabled the understanding and explanation of all dimensions of the wooden material, including physical, technical, and psychosocial.