Timber traffic
Andean-Amazonian countries
Timber trafficking in the Andean-Amazon countries is endangering valuable tree species such as mahogany, cedar, shihuahuaco and cumaru, among others.
Conditions
The conditions that facilitate this problem are: weak capacity to regulate the actions of the forestry sector, low participation of subnational governments in the control and monitoring processes, insufficient incentive policies and promotion of legal timber, lack of information and commitment of civil society on the problem, indigenous communities with little knowledge of the dynamics of timber trafficking, lack of knowledge of the value of standing forests, change of land use from forest to other uses, among others.
Forest degradation
Timber trafficking causes forest degradation, loss of species of great importance for the proper functioning of the ecosystem and the provision of ecosystem services, distortion of the forest market, low competitiveness of the formal sector due to unfair competition, tax evasion and even compromises the socio-economic development of forest-dependent communities, among others.
Illegality
In the Andean-Amazon countries, illegal logging activities are present in the different links of the production chain, from harvesting in the forest to the marketing of the final product.
Regarding the status of timber trafficking in the Andean-Amazonian countries:
- In Ecuador, 21% of the establishments that process timber are illegal, that is, they operate without any type of permit and have no movement guide generated for them.
- In Colombia, the Ministry of Environment estimates that 47% of all timber sold in the country is illegal.
- In Peru, illegal logging accounts for 40 to 50 % of production and generates large economic losses.
- In Bolivia, 50% of the timber is illegal. Bolivia ranks 4th in the world and 2nd in Latin America in primary forest loss according to Global Forest Watch.
Organization leading this component
Alliance intervention to combat timber trafficking
We compile
We systematize and socialize information on governance, traceability, certification and illegal logging trends at national and transnational levels with government authorities.
We strengthen
The capacities of civil society actors and government personnel through training sessions, working groups, technical roundtables or platforms to address the control of illegal timber trafficking.
We contribute
Empowerment of indigenous organizations as defenders and managers of their forests by strengthening their capacities in territorial governance, law, gender and the control and surveillance of their territories to confront timber trafficking.
We support
In the design and implementation of national certification systems adapted to minimum legal requirements to determine the traceability of timber, through workshops and dialogue spaces.
We cooperate
In the construction of an informed and aware civil society that participates in support actions against timber trafficking.
