timber News
-
New rules on illegal timber come into force across EU
New rules to prevent illegal timber being sold on the European market have come into force across the EU. The legislation will strengthen efforts to halt illegal logging which causes serious environmental damage and biodiversity loss and undermines the efforts of those trying to manage forests responsibly. The Regulation, which was first proposed by the Commission in 2008, was adopted by the EU ...
-
EU and Indonesia sign historic deal to curb illegal timber
Today the European Union and Indonesia signed a historic trade agreement which will contribute to halting the trade in illegal timber. Under the agreement, only verified legal timber and timber products will be exported to the EU. Indonesia is the first Asian country to enter into such an agreement, and by far the largest Asian timber exporter to the EU. European Environment Commissioner Janez ...
-
Government responds to report on illegal logging
The Rudd Government has taken another step towards implementing its election promise to combat illegal logging. The Centre for International Economics (the CIE) today released its final report to inform the government's Regulation Impact Statement for the proposed new policy on illegally-logged timber. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the Rudd Government is ...
-
EU and Indonesia sign historic deal to curb illegal timber
Today the European Union and Indonesia signed a historic trade agreement which will contribute to halting the trade in illegal timber. Under the agreement, only verified legal timber and timber products will be exported to the EU. Indonesia is the first Asian country to enter into such an agreement, and by far the largest Asian timber exporter to the EU. European Environment Commissioner Janez ...
-
The Drive Towards Forest Certification in New Zealand
“International customers are increasingly demanding wood to be sourced sustainably,” said Ben Gunneberg, Secretary General of PEFC, during a recent interview with Radio New Zealand’s Morning Rural News. “Not only are a growing number of countries demanding verification that timber has been sourced legally, but international companies are also playing a big role in the push ...
-
New timber regulation comes into force
On 3 March, new legislation comes into effect to counter the trade in illegal timber. The new EU Timber regulation will affect everyone in the wood trade. It prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber on the European market in an effort to tackle the problem of illegal logging across the world. Illegal logging has severe economic, environmental and social impacts: it is associated with ...
-
African countries agree to curb illegal timber trade in the Congo Basin
Governments from Africa's main timber producing countries, together with timber industry representatives and civil society organizations agreed to jointly combat illegal timber trade in the Congo Basin, FAO said today following an international wood industry meeting in Brazzaville. Covering an area of 300 million hectares, the Congo Basin harbours the world's second largest tropical forest. It ...
-
PEFC Chairman Peter Latham appointed as Commissioner of the Forestry Commission England
“On behalf of the whole international PEFC community, we are honoured and proud that our Chairman, Peter, has been appointed as a Non-Executive Commissioner to the Forestry Commission in England,” said Ben Gunneberg, CEO of PEFC International. “His wide ranging expertise in all aspects of the international timber trade, combined with his skills in leading and achieving ...
-
Two Organizations Join PEFC International as International Stakeholder Members
“PEFC is pleased to welcome the European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF) and theInternational Council of Forest and Paper Associations(ICPFA) as PEFC International Stakeholder members,” said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC Secretary General, following their acceptance during the PEFC General Assembly. “We are looking forward to enhanced opportunities for collaboration in our common effort to ...
-
Growth-oriented logging: a new concept in forest management
Deforestation in the tropics has both local and global effects, but conservation remains a major challenge. New research describes a method for measuring tree growth and timber harvesting, which can lead to sustainable management of tropical timber resources. The method tailors cutting cycles according to accurate growth rates of different tree species. Research explored the Mamirauá Sustainable ...
-
Responsible Forestry and CSR – The Business Case
The significance of responsible timber sourcing practices to promote sustainable forest management and combat climate change will be the focus of the keynote speech by Ben Gunneberg, PEFC International Secretary General at the forthcoming World Engineers Summit (WES) in Singapore next week. Sustainable forest management is key to maintaining the forest carbon stock and has been identified as an ...
-
Wood from illegal harvesting in EU markets estimated
Illegal timber imports into the EU were between 8 and 18 million m³ in 2009, representing 6-13% of total imports, new research suggests. Although figures for illegal logging are associated with high uncertainties, the authors claim that these figures provide the best available estimates for policy and decision makers. Illegal logging is a worldwide problem, which exacerbates climate change ...
-
Multifunctional forests - balancing timber, water and carbon sink needs air
Traditionally, forests have needed different management programmes depending on their purpose, for example, whether the priority is to maximise their value in terms of timber, water or as a carbon sink. However, the integration of these values in management strategies has become increasingly important. A new study has explored one means of achieving this, by placing an economic value on fresh ...
-
Climate change is fueling forest disturbances
Climate change is already altering the environment. Long-lived ecosystems such as forests are particularly vulnerable to the comparatively rapid changes in the climate system. A new international study published this week in Nature Climate Change shows that damage from wind, bark beetles, and wildfires has increased drastically in Europe’s forests in recent years. Europe’s forests ...
-
PEFC Takes Center Stage at Leading European Timber Tradeshow
Early June saw PEFC International take to the stage at Europe’s leading timber tradeshow, Carrefour International du Bois, to discuss PEFC certification and tropical wood. Taking place every two years in Nantes, France, the Carrefour International du Bois brings together over 500 exhibitors and 10,000 visitors from 60 different countries, promoting its 100% wood concept through a dedicated ...
-
‘Himalayan viagra’ harvesters threaten forest resources
Declining harvests of caterpillar fungus, also known as yarsagumba in the Himalayas, could lead to a relapse in efforts to conserve forests and biodiversity in the mountain region, according to two recent studies. A paper in Ecosystem Services this month (05 February) suggests that shrinking yarsagumba supplies could lead to local villagers returning to the gathering of endangered medicinal ...
By SciDev.Net
-
New EU Forest Strategy: Better Management can Boost Rural Jobs, say MEPs
The new EU forest strategy must focus on managing forests sustainably, promoting efficient use of the raw materials that they produce, and boosting the competitiveness of forest-related industry so as to create jobs, says a non-legislative resolution voted by Parliament on Tuesday. "The new EU forest strategy is a much-needed response to growing demands on forests and significant societal and ...
-
India´s First Forest Stewardship Council Certification for Natural Forests Awarded to Maharashtra Forest Department´s Bhamragarh Forest Division by SCS Global Services
The Bhamragarh Forest Division of India's Maharashtra Forest Department has become the country's first natural forest management program to earn Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for responsible forestry. Third-party certifier SCS Global Services (SCS) conducted the audit of the 378,000-hectare area and issued the certification. In addition to being the first natural forest in ...
-
Project launched to support conservation and improved forest management in the Congo Basin
Global Environment Facility begins pilots in Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of Congo The Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), World Resources Institute (WRI), and Rainforest Alliance joined with officials from government, national NGOs, the private sector, and international development organizations throughout the ...
-
Equatorial Guinea Participates in Global Environment Facility Project for Sustainable Forestry
Equatorial Guinea is now part of a Global Environment Facility (GEF) project titled 'A Regional Focus on Sustainable Timber Management in the Congo Basin', an initiative backed by international development organizations, national NGOs, and government officials. One of three pilot countries, Equatorial Guinea will begin a series of regional activities in which all GEF participants will collaborate ...
Need help finding the right suppliers? Try XPRT Sourcing. Let the XPRTs do the work for you