Illegal Logging

Illegal logging and trade in timber is a major cause of forest degradation in the world today. Not only does it threaten biodiversity-rich old growth forests, it also endangers the livelihoods of the traditional communities that are dependent upon them. But controlling this global problem is not a simple matter of enacting new laws and enforcing new regulations OCo the rules already exist. If countries are to manage their forest sustainably they must implement existing laws effectively, and they must do so now! Cut and Run offers readers valuable insight on how this might be done."

First Published in 2007. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Examine why illegal logging is so pervasive—and how this problem can be addressed In March 2002, the Yale chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters brought together social and natural scientists, resource managers, policymakers, community leaders, and other interested parties to share experiences, strategies, successes, and failures in addressing illegal logging and corruption. The results were the conference Illegal Logging in Tropical Forests: Ecology, Economics, and Politics of Resource Misuse and this book, which brings together analyses from the perspectives, of anthropology, economics, forestry, law, political science, and sociology. Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime suggests specific policy interventions aimed at curbing illegal logging and identifying solutions to forest crime. It presents both thematic analyses of illegal logging at the global level and case studies on both the local and national levels in African, Latin American, and Asian countries. The contributors draw on their experiences in Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Vietnam. Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime examines: global governance—with a cross-country regression analysis of deforestation and various aspects of governance global forest trade—with extensive reviews of data on global trade in forest products community perspectives on illegal logging—including a system dynamics model of villagers’ willingness to log, a description of community involvement in broader networks of illegal trade, and a chapter that challenges the credibility of illegality as defined by a corrupt government or agency the efforts of NGOs to combat illegal logging how illegal logging is typically symptomatic of broader failures of governance Specific chapters in Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime investigate: the role of monitoring in cutting forest crime whether illegal logging is better combated via law enforcement or by local communities—with pros and cons for each approach the proximate causes of illegal logging, including access to forests and equipment, and economic factors the efforts of Transparency International—a widely lauded organization combating corruption—to address illegal logging at the international policy level In addition, this valuable resource provides you with an essential overview of the literature on illegal logging, an in-depth analysis of the incentive structures that bring local residents to commit forest crimes, and a great deal more. Let Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime be your guide to the intricacies of this increasingly urgent issue.

Examine why illegal logging is so pervasive—and how this problem can be addressed In March 2002, the Yale chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters brought together social and natural scientists, resource managers, policymakers, community leaders, and other interested parties to share experiences, strategies, successes, and failures in addressing illegal logging and corruption. The results were the conference Illegal Logging in Tropical Forests: Ecology, Economics, and Politics of Resource Misuse and this book, which brings together analyses from the perspectives, of anthropology, economics, forestry, law, political science, and sociology. Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime suggests specific policy interventions aimed at curbing illegal logging and identifying solutions to forest crime. It presents both thematic analyses of illegal logging at the global level and case studies on both the local and national levels in African, Latin American, and Asian countries. The contributors draw on their experiences in Benin, Brazil, Cameroon, India, Indonesia, Mexico, and Vietnam. Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime examines: global governance—with a cross-country regression analysis of deforestation and various aspects of governance global forest trade—with extensive reviews of data on global trade in forest products community perspectives on illegal logging—including a system dynamics model of villagers’ willingness to log, a description of community involvement in broader networks of illegal trade, and a chapter that challenges the credibility of illegality as defined by a corrupt government or agency the efforts of NGOs to combat illegal logging how illegal logging is typically symptomatic of broader failures of governance Specific chapters in Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime investigate: the role of monitoring in cutting forest crime whether illegal logging is better combated via law enforcement or by local communities—with pros and cons for each approach the proximate causes of illegal logging, including access to forests and equipment, and economic factors the efforts of Transparency International—a widely lauded organization combating corruption—to address illegal logging at the international policy level In addition, this valuable resource provides you with an essential overview of the literature on illegal logging, an in-depth analysis of the incentive structures that bring local residents to commit forest crimes, and a great deal more. Let Illegal Logging in the Tropics: Strategies for Cutting Crime be your guide to the intricacies of this increasingly urgent issue.

Illegal logging is a cause for widespread concern. It has negative environmental impacts, results in the loss of forest products used by rural communities, creates conflicts, and causes significant losses of tax revenues that could be used for development activities. The Nature Conservancy and World Wide Fund for Nature developed the Alliance to Promote Certification and Combat Illegal Logging in Indonesia to respond to the concern about illegal logging. The Alliance is a three-year initiative that aims to: 1. Strengthen market signals to expand certification and combat illegal logging, 2. Increase supply of certified Indonesian wood products, 3. Demonstrate practical solutions to achieve certification and differentiate legal and illegal supplies, 4. Reduce financing and investment in companies engaged in destructive or illegal logging in Indonesia, 5. Share lessons learned from the project. The Alliance seeks to learn lessons from its ongoing work to inform and adapt its activities, as well as to inform other initiatives seeking to address similar problems. This report is part of this lessons learning process. This report assesses the situation in Indonesia, including a quantitative estimation of illegally produced logs, discusses the causes of illegal logging, and describes the national and international policy and trade context. Then, it considers the work undertaken by the Alliance to address illegal logging in Indonesia; it summarizes the strategy of the Alliance, describes its rationale, and assesses the assumptions underlying the rationale and the objectives. Finally, it summarizes the progress made by the Alliance towards achieving its goal, highlights the lessons that can be learnt from the work in progress, and provides recommendations for the Alliance.

Every two seconds, across the world, an area of forest the size of a football field is clear-cut by illegal loggers. In some countries, up to 90% of all the logging taking place is illegal. It is estimated that this criminal activity generates approximately US $10-15 bn annually worldwide.