Oct. - Dec., 2007
American Forest &
Paper Association Takes
on Illegal Logging
AF&PA is positioned as a proponent of international efforts to control illegal logging. AF&PA members are disadvantaged by competition with products manufactured from illegally harvested logs and thus support the purchase and utilization of forest products which are both legal and sustainable. Illegal logging not only contributes to deforestation, but also undermines the viability of legally harvested and traded forest products and is a serious detriment to forest sustainability.
According to a recent report commissioned by AF&PA, up to ten percent of global timber production could be of suspicious origin and illegal logging depresses world legally harvested wood prices by seven to 16 percent on average, depending on the product. Were there no illegally harvested wood in the global market, the study estimated the value of U.S. wood exports could increase by over $460 million each year.
Solutions to the illegal logging issue must reduce the spread between the costs of operating illegally and the costs of operating legitimately. Policy makers should consider that raising the cost for legal trade could have a perverse and unintended impact.
AF&PA is a leader in fighting illegal logging. In January 2002, members of the AF&PA, committed to abide by domestic and sovereign laws pertaining to logging and harvesting in any country where logging and tree removals take place. In 2003, AF&PA joined with the U.S. Department of State, Conservation International (CI) and others to announce the launch of the President’s Initiative Against Illegal Logging. And in 2005, AF&PA joined with CI to create the Alliance to Combat Illegal Logging, a partnership designed to help put a halt to timber operations in national parks and other protected areas.
AF&PA welcomes the interest shown by Congress to ensure that the policies aimed at decreasing the trade of illegally harvested timber and forest products do not have inadvertent and sometimes counterproductive consequences. We are concerned that demandside measures could increase costs for legitimate, legal producers while decreasing the risks associated with illegal production. It is essential that policy responses do not create perverse incentives by raising the costs of “legal” forest products, thus making illegal logging even more profitable.
AF&PA stands ready to work with legislators and other interested stakeholders to craft appropriate solutions that do not hinder legitimate business transactions. We look forward to working together to stop this international problem that hurts the environment, the economy, and those companies that are doing right by our forests worldwide.
Source: American Forest & Paper Association