Centralized National Risk Assessment for Thailand FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 EN FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THAILAND 2019 – 1 of 164 – Title: Centralized National Risk Assessment for Thailand Document reference FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 EN code: Approval body: FSC International Center: Performance and Standards Unit Date of approval: 16 April 2019 Contact for comments: FSC International Center - Performance and Standards Unit - Adenauerallee 134 53113 Bonn Deutschland/ Germany +49-(0)228-36766-0 +49-(0)228-36766-30 [email protected] © 2019 Forest Stewardship Council, A.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the publisher’s copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, recording taping, or information retrieval systems) without the written permission of the publisher. Printed copies of this document are for reference only. Please refer to the electronic copy on the FSC website (ic.fsc.org) to ensure you are referring to the latest version. The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) is an independent, not for profit, non- government organization established to support environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable management of the world’s forests. FSC’s vision is that the world’s forests meet the social, ecological, and economic rights and needs of the present generation without compromising those of future generations. FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THAILAND 2019 – 2 of 164 – Contents Risk assessments that have been finalized for Thailand ........................................... 4 Risk designations in finalized risk assessments for Thailand ..................................... 5 Risk assessments ..................................................................................................... 6 Controlled wood category 1: Illegally harvested wood ........................................... 6 Overview ........................................................................................................... 6 Sources of legal timber in Thailand .................................................................... 9 Risk assessment ............................................................................................. 10 Recommended control measures .................................................................... 74 Controlled wood category 2: Wood harvested in violation of traditional and human rights ................................................................................................................... 79 Risk assessment ............................................................................................. 79 Recommended control measures .................................................................... 82 Detailed analysis ............................................................................................. 83 Controlled wood category 3: Wood from forests in which high conservation values are threatened by management activities .......................................................... 101 Overview ....................................................................................................... 101 Experts consulted .......................................................................................... 118 Risk assessment ........................................................................................... 118 Recommended control measures .................................................................. 140 Information sources ....................................................................................... 142 Controlled wood category 4: Wood from forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use ................................................................................................... 150 Risk assessment ........................................................................................... 150 Recommended control measures .................................................................. 155 Controlled wood category 5: Wood from forests in which genetically modified trees are planted ........................................................................................................ 157 Risk assessment ........................................................................................... 157 Recommended control measures .................................................................. 163 FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THAILAND 2019 – 3 of 164 – Risk assessments that have been finalized for Thailand Risk assessment Controlled Wood categories completed? 1 Illegally harvested wood YES 2 Wood harvested in violation of traditional and human rights YES Wood from forests where high conservation values are 3 YES threatened by management activities Wood from forests being converted to plantations or non-forest 4 YES use Wood from forests in which genetically modified trees are 5 YES planted FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THAILAND 2019 – 4 of 164 – Risk designations in finalized risk assessments for Thailand Indicator Risk designation (including functional scale when relevant) Controlled wood category 1: Illegally harvested wood 1.1 Specified risk 1.2 Low risk 1.3 Specified risk for public plantations in forest reserves. Others N/A. 1.4 Specified risk 1.5 Low risk 1.6 Low risk 1.7 Low risk 1.8 N/A 1.9 Specified risk 1.10 N/A 1.11 Specified risk 1.12 Specified risk 1.13 N/A 1.14 N/A 1.15 N/A 1.16 Specified risk for restricted species, NA for unrestricted species 1.17 Specified risk 1.18 N/A 1.19 Specified risk 1.20 Specified risk 1.21 N/A Controlled wood category 2: Wood harvested in violation of traditional and human rights 2.1 Low risk 2.2 Specified risk 2.3 Specified risk Controlled wood category 3: Wood from forests where high conservation values are threatened by management activities 3.0 Low risk 3.1 Specified risk 3.2 Specified risk 3.3 Specified risk 3.4 Specified risk 3.5 Specified risk 3.6 Low risk Controlled wood category 4: Wood from forests being converted to plantations or non-forest use 4.1 Specified risk Controlled wood category 5: Wood from forests in which genetically modified trees are planted 5.1 Low risk FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THAILAND 2019 – 5 of 164 – Risk assessments Controlled wood category 1: Illegally harvested wood Overview Key bullet points • Thailand’s natural forests have banned concession management since 1989. The main source of timber is from national plantations and imported wood. Native forests cannot be harvested. • Forests are present in many different classifications, as can be found in the source table below. In 2017 there was 16 345 016 ha (16,3 million) of forest, resulting in a 31,5% forests cover. This measurement was done by satellite images. • Tree species are effectively divided into: o Restricted species (which comprise almost all of the commercial species native to Thailand) and whose management and regulation is covered by the Forest Act 1941. o Unrestricted species. They represent the majority of trees grown commercially by farmers, smallholders and larger commercial ventures. The unrestricted (unregulated) species are dominated by fir, rubberwood, eucalyptus and acacia. Rubberwood is grown as a monoculture or as a mixture with some agricultural crops or as a mixed tree cropping system: rubberwood is a major by-product and used extensively by the domestic fiberboard, pulp and paper manufacturers. Unrestricted species are commonly regarded as inherently low risk because they cannot be confused with native species. But unrestricted species (especially from private land) have no requirement to maintain harvest and transport documentation. Consequently, establishing an origin for the timber and a reliable chain of custody is currently very difficult, and in some cases not possible. This means that the risk related to these species is high. • There are two main types of forests in Thailand: Evergreen Forest and Deciduous Forest: Evergreen forest. The Evergreen Forest is subdivided into the Tropical Evergreen Forest, the Pine Forest, the Mangrove Forest and the Beach Forest. Tropical evergreen forest. The Tropical Evergreen Forest is found all over the moist parts of the country. This type of forest is also subdivided into the Tropical Rain Forest, the Semi-evergreen Forest and the Hill Evergreen Forest. • The tropical rain forest is characterized by a very rich flora diversification and very dense undergrowth. This type of forest is commonly found in the Southern and the Eastern regions where rainfall is above 2,000 millimetres. It is also found along rivers and/or in valleys in other parts of the country. The predominant species (the top storey species) are, for example, Dipterocarpus spp, Hopea spp, Lagerstroemia spp, and Shorea spp, whereas the lower storey species are bamboos, palms and rattans. • The semi-evergreen forest is scattered all over the country where the rainfall is between 1,000-2,000 millimetres. The predominant species are Dipterocarpus spp, Hopea spp, Diospyros spp, Afzelia spp, Terminalia spp, and Artocarpus spp. The main undergrowth species consist of bamboos and rattan. FSC-CNRA-TH V1-0 CENTRALIZED NATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THAILAND 2019 – 6 of 164 – • The hill evergreen forest is found on the highland parts (above 1,000 metres from the sea level) of the country where the climatic condition is the