Timber Trade Research Articles

Réviser les tarifs de cubage pour prendre en compte l’évolution de la ressource au Cameroun

La connaissance du volume exploitable est une information essentielle tant pour la gestion que pour le contrôle de l’exploitation forestière. En Afrique centrale, l’estimation des volumes repose essentiellement sur l’utilisation de tarifs de cubage à une entrée, spécifique à chaque essence, et prédisant le volume exploitable à partir du diamètre de l’arbre. Or, récemment, de nombreux acteurs de la gestion forestière au Cameroun rapportent une inadéquation entre les volumes commerciaux estimés avec les tarifs de cubage imposés par l’administration et les volumes estimés à partir des mesures de la longueur et du diamètre des billes exploitées. Afin de vérifier la justesse des tarifs de cubage imposés par l’administration camerounaise, nous avons réalisé un échantillonnage destructif pour 12 essences jouant un rôle crucial dans le commerce du bois au Cameroun, et développé de nouveaux tarifs de cubage, qui ont été comparés avec les tarifs imposés par l’administration camerounaise et 52 autres tarifs de cubage disponibles dans la littérature. Dans quatre concessions forestières du Cameroun, représentatives des différentes conditions écologiques prévalant dans ce pays, 732 arbres ont été abattus et leur volume a été mesuré par la méthode des billons successifs. Des tarifs de cubage à une entrée, fonction uniquement du diamètre de référence, ont ensuite été ajustés par la méthode des moindres carrés généralisés. Notre étude confirme l’existence de biais entre les volumes mesurés et les volumes estimés en utilisant les tarifs de cubage imposés par l’administration camerounaise. En conséquence, de nouveaux tarifs de cubage et un abaque de correction sont proposés. Enfin, la majorité des tarifs de cubage testés présentaient un biais similaire qui résulte vraisemblablement d’une évolution de la ressource et des pratiques d’exploitation.

Buildings and wood trade in Aix-en-Provence (South of France) during the Modern period

Many buildings are being restored in the city of Aix-en-Provence, southeastern France and allowed systematic dendrochronological analyses. 144 fir timbers (Abies alba Mill.) were examined and dated between 1303 and 1933. They highlight three felling phases (Medieval period, 17th-18th century, and 19th century). The best documented one corresponds to the 17th-18th centuries and coincides with significant building activity connected to the status of Aix, which is the parliamentary capital of Provence. Around Aix-en-Provence, it is difficult to find timbers with good dimensions. Our results show that timbers were transported from the Alps to Aix’s buildings. Potential testimonies of this timber trade have been found, such as raft assemblage marks, and carved signs and letters. A dendroprovenancing case study shows that between 1810 and 1890, some of Aix’s timbers could have come from the Northern French Alps or the Verdon-Durance region. Finally, the lack of timbers with good dimension and the difficulties of timber supply contributed to the development of reuse economy and technical innovation. These results are the foundation of a future well-established dendroprovenancing approach in the Southern Alps.

Model for diameter distribution from assortments volumes: theoretical formulation and a case application with a sample of timber trade data for clear-cut sections

This study examined a theoretical model for stand structures from the volumes of pulpwood and saw logs of clear-cut stands. The average stem size was used to estimate the number of cut trees. The distribution was solved using nonlinear derivative-free optimization. The truncated 2-parameter Weibull distribution was used to describe the stand structure of the commercial stems. This method was first tested with harvester data collected from seven clear-cut stands in southern Finland. Validation included reliability in the stand characteristics and goodness-of-fit of the species-specific distributions. The distributions provided unbiased estimates for the saw log volume, while the bias in the estimated pulpwood volume was 2%. The standard stand characteristics from the Weibull distributions corresponded notably well with the harvester data. A Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test rejected two distributions out of 21 cases, when the accurate input variables were available for the theoretical model. The results of the study suggest that the presented method is a relevant option for predicting the stand structure. In practice, the reliability of the presented method was dependent on the quality of the information available from the stand prior to cutting. With a timber trade data set, the solution for the distribution for a clear-cut section was found. The goodness-of-fit was dependent on the accuracy of the visually assessed timber trade variables. Especially the average stem size proved difficult to assess due to high number of understorey pulpwood stems. Due to overestimated average stem sizes, the solved number of harvested trees was underestimated. Less than 50% of the distributions predicted for clear-cut sections passed the KS test.

Transoceanic Networks of Exchange: New Brunswick Lumber, Merchant Trade, and the Building of Victorian Britain

This article examines the links between the timber trade in New Brunswick and Victorian city building in the British Isles through the lens of the Carvills – three Irish merchant brothers who were engaged in the timber, iron, and shipping trades on both sides of the Atlantic. It considers the interrelationships between these various endeavours within the broader context of an industrial age. While offering insight into one merchant family business, this article also discusses the impact of the New Brunswick lumber trade on the material culture of a growing industrial Britain – particularly during the first half of the 19th century.

Association between Poor Forest Governance and Illegal Timber Trade Activities in Malakand Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Association between Poor Forest Governance and Illegal Timber Trade Activities in Malakand Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

Distribution, Habitat Preference, and Management of the Invasive Ambrosia Beetle Xylosandrus germanus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in European Forests with an Emphasis on the West Carpathians

The black timber bark beetle Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford) is an invasive ambrosia beetle that originates from Southeast Asia and has become successfully established within Europe and North America. Herein, we provide a review of the spread and distribution of this tree and timber pest species across Europe, before and after 2000, along with a review of its habitat preferences. Since the spread of X. germanus across Europe has accelerated rapidly post-2000, emphasis is placed on this period. X. germanus was first recorded in Germany in 1951 and since then in 21 other European countries along with Russia. Ethanol-baited traps were deployed in oak, beech, and spruce forest ecosystems in the Western Carpathians, Central Europe, Slovakia, to characterize the distribution and habitat preferences of this non-native ambrosia beetle. Captures of X. germanus within Slovakia have been rising rapidly since its first record in 2010, and now this species dominates captures of ambrosia beetles. X. germanus has spread throughout Slovakia from south-southwest to north-northeast over a period of 5–10 years, and has also spread vertically into higher altitudes within the country. While living but weakened trees in Europe and North America are attacked by X. germanus, the greatest negative impact within Slovakia is attacks on recently felled logs of oak, beech and spruce trees, which provide high quality timber/lumber. We suggest that the recent rapid spread of X. germanus in Central Europe is being facilitated by environmental changes, specifically global warming, and the increasing frequency of timber trade. Recommendations for the management of X. germanus in forest ecosystems are proposed and discussed, including early detection, monitoring, sanitary measures, etc.

TRADE LIBERALIZATION AND INDONESIA’S TRADE PERFORMANCE OF TIMBER PRODUCTS IN ASEAN MARKET

Trade liberalization in ASEAN has an impact on the reduction of tariff and non-tariff trade barriers so that it encouraging economic integration. This integration is expected to improve the performance of timber trade (HS44) among ASEAN countries. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of trade liberalization in ASEAN market toward the trade performance of Indonesian timber products. The approach used consists of analysis of market share and balance of trade. The results showed that in general, trade liberalization in ASEAN market has an effect on the performance of trade in Indonesian wood products, especially when the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) scheme was implemented in 2010. At that time, wood and wooden furniture tariff were set at 0%. Non-tariff barrier of HS44 consist of certificates of origin of timber as a pre-requirement of duty-free import, and timber legality certification. Within the scope of ASEAN, wood market share is dominated by Malaysia (as a market leader) and Thailand. While in the world wood product market, Indonesia has become the competitors of Malaysia. The enhancement of Indonesian’s wood competitiveness needs to be done by overcoming non-tariff barriers and trade policies that more take sides on the timber industries.

Analysis of the India-Myanmar timber trade

Abstract. Maria-Sube E, Woodgate G. 2019. Analysis of the India-Myanmar Timber Trade. Asian J For 3: 1-9. Myanmar’s forest cover declined by 1.8% annually between 2000 and 2015: the result of on-going civil wars and institutional weaknesses. As Myanmar transitioned from military dictatorship, round log exports were banned in 2014. Until 2014, India was the most important importer of timber from Myanmar in terms of value, and the second most important in terms of volume, after China. This article assesses the value and volume of timber traded between Myanmar and India from 2010 until 2015. In addition to trade flows, the timber species and main actors involved in the timber trade are identified and the governance environment of trade is assessed. The paper goes on to investigate the impact of recent regulatory changes enacted by the Government of India and the prospects for the future of the India-Myanmar trade. The analysis showed that (i) from an economic perspective the timber trade between the two countries, once active, is currently stalled. (ii) From a governance perspective, illegality occurs to a limited extent at the international border but probably happens to a greater extent at timber auctions in Myanmar. Finally (iii), from a social and environmental point of view, as infrastructure expands it will be crucial to include forest management and timber trade governance in discussions regarding border relations between the two countries.

Product quality and sustainability: The effect of international environmental agreements on bilateral trade

AbstractThis paper addresses the impact of sustainability in production on international trade. In particular, it examines the effect of the International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) on tropical timber trade. The empirical analysis is based on a gravity equation in a difference‐in‐difference setting, which is estimated by a panel Heckman's selection model. This accounts for the potentially systematic selection of trading partners into timber trade activity. We then conduct a comprehensive comparative static analysis solving the structural gravity model with and without the ITTA. This allows us to determine the trade impact of an ITTA‐induced increase in sustainability for participating as well as for third countries. We find that countries participating in the ITTA exhibit a significant and substantial increase in trade values ranging from 4% to 6%. Furthermore, we observe that this effect is more pronounced for smaller member countries. Non‐ITTA countries are confronted with reduced values of tropical timber trade flows.

FLEGT: Another ‘forestry fad’?

There has been recent debate around the role of ‘fads’ in global conservation measures, and the lessons they hold for achieving desired conservation and development outcomes. Fads are characterized by initially widespread enthusiasm and major mobilization of resources followed by abandonment in favor of the next fad. Debate centers less on whether such fads exist, but rather on whether they represent opportunities for incremental policy learning, or are symptomatic of the more systemic failure of a market-based conservation agenda and the reinforcement of existing power inequalities. The European Union (EU)’s Forest Law Enforcement, Governance, and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan aims to prevent the trade of illegal timber among the EU and its trading partners especially in the ‘Global South’. Fifteen years since launching the Action Plan, we ask whether the processes and outcomes of FLEGT, and specifically the Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs), resonate with the dynamics observed in other processes dubbed ‘fads’ within conservation and development arenas, and if so, what we can learn from this. Drawing from interviews, grey literature, and scholarship, we examine FLEGT VPAs as following three key stages of a fad: (1) there is initial enthusiasm by a wide range of actors for FLEGT as something ‘new’ or ground-breaking, (2) discrepancies and disagreements emerge about its end goals, i.e. whether it’s core purpose is to distinguish legal from illegal wood in the EU marketplace, or to achieve deeper governance reforms; while the means for achieving those goals borrow heavily from previous market-based initiatives (3) actors and champions become fatigued, yet at the same time frame elements of their own involvement as a ‘success’. Identifying these fad-like characteristics calls into question the ‘newness’ of FLEGT, by uncovering its many similarities to other market-based measures such as certification that exacerbate inequalities. Hence, branding FLEGT a success without challenging its role in the unequal concentration of power and resources, is likely to further entrench these inequalities in subsequent conservation fads, while a focus on incremental learning misses the larger failures and injustices of market-based approaches and can reinforce their re-emergence.

Impacts of Timber Trade on Social Economic Life during the “Ming & Qing” Dynasty in South-western China –– The Evidence from Qingshui River Basin

This paper is primarily concerned with the Chinese history and rural society, using the example of Sanmentang village as a case, to illustrate the internal relations of timber trade activities and regional social change in the downstream areas of Qingshui river basin. It probes into the complicated relationship between nongovernmental contracts and local timber trade during the period of late Ming dynasty (AD1368-1644) and early Qing dynasty (AD1644-1911) in China. It explores regional social history, social structure changing process and its main driving factors. The findings reveal the direct effects of commercial activities on regional economic development, and its indirect impacts on local community. Findings also reveal the historic significance of stone tablets and contractual documents in old China. Finally, relationship of “timber trade → economic development → social change” is shown to be evident.

Multiple stages of tree seedling recruitment are altered in tropical forests degraded by selective logging.

Tropical forest degradation is a global environmental issue. In degraded forests, seedling recruitment of canopy trees is vital for forest regeneration and recovery. We investigated how selective logging, a pervasive driver of tropical forest degradation, impacts canopy tree seedling recruitment, focusing on an endemic dipterocarp Dryobalanops lanceolata in Sabah, Borneo. During a mast‐fruiting event in intensively logged and nearby unlogged forest, we examined four stages of the seedling recruitment process: seed production, seed predation, and negative density‐dependent germination and seedling survival. Our results suggest that each stage of the seedling recruitment process is altered in logged forest. The seed crop of D. lanceolata trees in logged forest was one‐third smaller than that produced by trees in unlogged forest. The functional role of vertebrates in seed predation increased in logged forest while that of non‐vertebrates declined. Seeds in logged forest were less likely to germinate than those in unlogged forest. Germination increased with local‐scale conspecific seed density in unlogged forest, but seedling survival tended to decline. However, both germination and seedling survival increased with local‐scale conspecific seed density in logged forest. Notably, seed crop size, germination, and seedling survival tended to increase for larger trees in both unlogged and logged forests, suggesting that sustainable timber extraction and silvicultural practices designed to minimize damage to the residual stand are important to prevent seedling recruitment failure. Overall, these impacts sustained by several aspects of seedling recruitment in a mast‐fruiting year suggest that intensive selective logging may affect long‐term population dynamics of D. lanceolata. It is necessary to establish if other dipterocarp species, many of which are threatened by the timber trade, are similarly affected in tropical forests degraded by intensive selective logging.

PERLINDUNGAN HUTAN MELALUI SISTEM VERIFIKASI LEGALITAS KAYU (SVLK) DALAM PRESPEKTIF ISLAM

ABSTRACT Timber legality assurance system (TLAS) is determined by the Ministry of Forestry to stop illegal logging. TLAS is the government instrument to guarantee that just legal timber/wood which are permitted to be harvested, delivered, manufactured, and sold/ marketed in Indonesia. This system is in line with the forestry law maintenance direction to fight” illegal logging” and “illegal timber trading”. The issue of Indonesian TLAS is the initiative of many components of society since 2001 such as NGO, civil society, traditional right holders, ntrepreneur/privatesector,academist/university, government and all stakeholders who are aware on the forest continuity. TLAS is one effort to prevent the forest destruction. Viewing from the Islamic concept, TLAS is following the Fiqh conception: Daf’ul mafasadah muqoddam ala jalbi al maslahah. To prevent forests from distruction is also prescribed in holy Qur’an, surah Ar Rum ayat 41: “.....have everseen the distruction in land and in the sea because of human hands activities”. In this context, TLAS is one form of good governance forest management and is legal according to positive law and Islamic law. This system must be supported by the society, so that the idea to free from illegal logging and illegal timber can be realized. Keywords: Distruction Forestry, Timber Legality Assurance System, Islam Conseption

The concentrationof competitiveness of russianwood and materials from itto forest exchanges

In this article the position of competitiveness of materials from domestic wood on forest stock exchanges is considered, as well as the formation of the stock exchange for timber and timber trade as a tool for developing the competitiveness of the industry.

A set of SNP markers for timber tracking of Larix spp. in Europe and Russia

The verification of the geographical origin of timber is of increasing importance with the entry into force of new regulations having become effective (EU Timber Regulation, US Lacey Act and Australia Illegal Logging Prohibition Act) that regulate the trade of timber. Larch timber represents a significant portion of timber traded on the European market. It is mostly harvested in Russia, where trade of illegally harvested timber is known to occur. Although genetic data are available for Larix spp., robust and polymorphic marker tests are still lacking for timber DNA analysis. Using Restriction Site Associated DNA sequencing, we developed a set of 253 SNP loci which was screened on 916 Larix spp. individuals. Bayesian cluster analysis revealed the presence of eight genetic clusters showing a West-East pattern in Eurasia. This marker set resulted in assignment success rates to the region of origin ranging from 74 per cent to 88 per cent. From the full marker set, a subset of 76 loci was selected to allow cost-effective analysis of timber and was successfully tested on nine blind timber samples. The performance of genetic assignment methods and laboratory procedures for the analysis of timber DNA is discussed.

Chemical differentiation of Bolivian Cedrela species as a tool to trace illegal timber trade

Combating illegal timber trade requires the ability to identify species and verify geographic origin of timber. Forensic techniques that independently verify the declared species and geographic origin are needed, as current legality procedures are based on certificates and documents that can be falsified. Timber from the genus Cedrela is among the most economically valued tropical timbers worldwide. Three Cedrela species are included in the Appendix III of CITES: C. fissilis, C. odorata and C. angustifolia (listed as C. lilloi). Cedrela timber is currently traded with false origin declarations and under a different species name, but tools to verify this are lacking. We used Direct Analysis in Real Time Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (DART-TOFMS) to chemically identify Cedrela species and sites of origin. Heartwood samples from six Cedrela species (the three CITES-listed species plus C. balansae, C. montana and C. saltensis) were collected at 11 sites throughout Bolivia. Mass spectra detected by DART-TOFMS comprised 1062 compounds; their relative intensities were analysed using Principal Component Analyses, Kernel Discriminant Analysis (KDA) and Random Forest analyses to check discrimination potential among species and sites. Species were identified with a mean discrimination error of 15–19 per cent, with substantial variation in discrimination accuracy among species. The lowest error was observed in C. fissilis (mean = 4.4 per cent). Site discrimination error was considerably higher: 43–54 per cent for C. fissilis and 42–48 per cent for C. odorata. These results provide good prospects to differentiate C. fissilis from other species, but at present there is no scope to do so for other tested species. Thus, discrimination is highly species specific. Our findings for tests of geographic origin suggest no potential to discriminate at the studied scale and for the studied species. Cross-checking results from different methods (KDA and Random Forest) reduced discrimination errors. In all, the DART-TOFMS technique allows independent verification of claimed identity of certain Cedrela species in timber trade.

The new ‘sustainable communitarian’ logging schemes and their critique inside multiple-use conservation areas in the Brazilian Amazon: preliminary notes

ABSTRACTDeforestation has risen sharply in Brazil since 2012, and conservation areas are facing increased pressure. This article studies the rise of so-called ‘sustainable’, ‘communitarian’, and/or ‘cooperative’ logging schemes inside multiple-use conservation areas in the Amazon. The findings, based on fresh field research in Acre and Pará, reveal conflicts, problems, and risks associated with logging schemes, although they are portrayed in the international timber trade as certified and socio-environmentally sustainable solutions that help conservation. However, the expansion of logging presents a danger for curtailing forest degradation, fires, and corruption that is linked to the fast returns from sale of timber, especially inside conservation areas that have been mostly intact until now. There is an urgent need to change the strategy of promoting logging as a key source of income for forest-dwellers, and a need to change the policies allowing the expansion of ‘sustainable logging’.

Facing the complexities of the global timber trade regime: How do Chinese wood enterprises respond to international legality verification requirements, and what are the implications for regime effectiveness?

The emergence of transnational approaches to combat illegal logging and related trade through legality verification (LV) has spurred debate about the implications for the global timber trade regime. Scholars debate to what extent the various actors will support LV, and whether LV will undermine private forest certification and higher standards due to operators' venue shopping. This paper explores Chinese wood enterprises' responses and discusses the implications for regime effectiveness. Based on primary data from 158 questionnaires and secondary data we find that, although the majority of the sampled export-oriented Chinese companies have heard about LV requirements, only few have detailed knowledge. Furthermore, they look to their customers' different requirements, and therefore often apply multiple measures simultaneously rather than do venue shopping. The question whether LV will undermine standards and certification therefore to a high extent bounces back to customers and import authorities. On the other hand, the Chinese companies consider the complexities of the timber regime a major constraint for meeting customers' requirements and therefore for own uptake and support. There is hence a need to reduce complexity in order to ensure regime effectiveness. We suggest this is best achieved by increased transparency of and alignment between the various LV regulations.

A multi-analytical study on the Mango Longo Guitar, a Baroque masterpiece from the Castello Sforzesco, Milan, Italy

Abstract The study of an ancient musical instrument should take into account various approaches, which include historical sources, study of materials and dendrochronological analysis. Very often, an ancient musical instrument has been subject to repairs, substitutions and restorations that have modified its original setting. This study takes into account the “Mango Longo guitar”, a masterpiece of 17th century Neapolitan art. It has been analysed from a historical, organological and xylo-chronological perspective to investigate and describe the cultural context of its creation, the wood species used for its construction and various restoration works to which it has been subjected. The Mango Longo guitar belongs to the typology of the Baroque guitars of the seventeenth century, attributed to the lute-maker of German origin Magnus Lang, from which the name derives. The most recent tree-ring identified on the instrument belly is dated dendrochronologically to 1737, terminus post quem. This means that the actual soundboard may be considered a replacement, due to a restoration in the first half of 18th century. The analysis of dendroprovenance of the actual soundboard shows strong analogies with Italian production of the period and identifies the probable sources for wood as being in the Alps. Our results confirm the intensive and well-organized trade of valuable timber used for musical instruments at that time.

Timber Trade Species Analysis in Benue State, Nigeria

Timber Trade Species Analysis in Benue State, Nigeria