Combating the Illegal Logging of Rosewood

U.S. Forest Service International Programs

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS OVERVIEW Since 2011, with the support of the U.S. Surging domestic demand in China for Rosewood, also known as Redwood, Department of State, and in Cocobolo, or Rosul (scientific name Dalbergia retusa), has been driving illegal collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, the logging of these rare and very valuable tree species across Central America. U.S. Forest Service International With increasing prices for Rosewood, regional illegal timber networks have Programs has been investing in capacity been financing aggressive local logging organizations from Mexico to Panama, building for wood identification of mainly in dry tropical forests where it grows. The deforestation of this species Central American Woods. The Identification of Central American has had a devastating impact on indigenous forest communities and the Woods manual, developed by the U.S. natural resources that sustain their livelihoods. Illegal rosewood trade has Forest Service, provided the basis for been acknowledged as a regional and international issue of concern, and the more than 10 technical trainings Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and provided by wood identification specialists from the Laboratory. Flora (CITES) has added several threatened Central American rosewoods to their lists of species needing better managed trade. The trainings have provided key capacity building to government Under the Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement enforcement agents and forestry (CAFTA-DR) Environmental Cooperation Program and with funding from the specialists in how to properly identify common illegally traded species. U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Forest Service developed a wood Throughout these trainings the issue of identification manual, Identification of Central American Woods, that serves as the deforestation and trade of a tool for customs inspectors and other officials to understand and control the rosewood and the difficulty in properly movement of timber and wood products in and out of Central American identifying it continued to emerge time after time. This program is addressing countries. The U.S. Forest Service has used the manual to provide on-going this need and bringing more attention wood identification trainings for customs officials and various local actors in all to the conservation and management of the CAFTA-DR countries. The U.S. Forest Service has also collaborated with of rosewood. the Department of State and the Honduran government to reduce illegal logging, strengthen their forest management agencies, and develop a more RACHEL SHERIDAN robust forest monitoring system. Latin America and Caribbean Program U.S. Forest Service Currently, the U.S. Forest Service is implementing a program focused on International Programs specifically targeting the reduction of the illegal harvesting, processing and 1 Thomas Circle, NW, Suite 400 trade of rosewood in CAFTA-DR countries. This work will build on previous Washington, DC 20005 work on mahogany conservation, further increasing capacity in the CAFTA-DR 1 202 644-4583 countries to address forest governance and improve enforcement of national [email protected] environmental laws and implementation of international treaties, such as MA. ANTONIETA RIVAS LECLAIR CITES. Central America Program Coordinator U.S. Forest Service This program will contribute to the reduction of illegal logging of rosewood International Programs through the facilitation of discussions and workshops with actors involved in +505 2265-7635 combating illegal logging in CAFTA-DR countries, gathering region-wide +505 8863-0217 information on the population and ecology of rosewood, supporting [email protected] information exchange on existing systems and programs to sustainably manage rosewood throughout the region, and providing trainings to CAFTA- DR officials in the identification of rosewood and other most common illegally traded wood species. The U.S. Forest Service will continue to support the creation and dissemination of materials about rosewood for management and enforcement agencies through the region.