{"id":18609,"date":"2011-05-22T20:00:58","date_gmt":"2011-05-22T20:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=18609"},"modified":"2023-03-22T16:41:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T20:41:29","slug":"potomac-forum-brings-together-experts-to-address-illegal-logging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/potomac-forum-brings-together-experts-to-address-illegal-logging\/","title":{"rendered":"Potomac Forum Brings Together Experts To Address Illegal Logging"},"content":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON, DC<\/strong> \u2013 Participants at an international forum on illegal logging heard how actions such as\u00a0government regulations, market demand, and increased knowledge are helping to combat illegal logging \u2013\u00a0but that the issue demands further vigilance and effort.<\/p>\n

The 4th Potomac Forum on Illegal Logging and Associated Trade, hosted by Forest Trends on May 4 with\u00a0support from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative\u00ae Inc. (SFI\u00ae), the World Bank, and others, explored changes\u00a0that are having a positive impact, including government regulations such as the Lacey Act in the United\u00a0States and the European Union (EU) Timber Regulation, increased market demand for legal products, and\u00a0growing expertise among conservation groups and the private sector. Participants discussed the growing\u00a0recognition that legality is a shared responsibility of consumer, processor, and producer countries, and that\u00a0third-party forest certification offers a valuable tool to address legality.<\/p>\n

The one-day forum brought together more than 100 experts, many of them specialists in development and\u00a0trade from U.S. and foreign government agencies, the forest industry and nongovernmental organizations. In\u00a0addition to SFI Inc. and the World Bank, sponsors included the U.S. Agency for International Development\u00a0(USAID), PROFOR, the U.S. Forest Service and Forest Legality Alliance. Illegal logging is a major\u00a0international issue that can undermine good forest governance, leading to the loss of wildlife habitat and\u00a0reducing the potential for forests to provide stable supplies of products and support local communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis kind of gathering shows how we can reduce the social, environmental and economic damage caused by\u00a0illegal logging if we work together to increase knowledge and look for practical solutions,\u201d said Forest\u00a0Trends President Michael Jenkins. \u201cMarket choices are having a direct impact, and this in turn helps to\u00a0improve forest conservation and the livelihoods of people.\u201d Forest Trends is an international non-profit\u00a0organization that works to expand the value of forests to society by promoting sustainable forest\u00a0management and conservation.<\/p>\n

In his closing remarks to the Forum, World Bank Forests Adviser Gerhard Dieterle emphasized the\u00a0importance of linking on-going forest governance work with the wider development agenda in developing\u00a0countries, and praised the role of multistakeholder partnerships in promoting forest legality. The Bank has\u00a0been a strong supporter of forest law enforcement and governance work in different regions over the last\u00a0decade. “The work being done by the EU, as well as by the United States and partner country governments\u00a0with the private sector and the civil society, is very complementary,\u201d he said. He congratulated the EU and\u00a0the Government of Indonesia for the successful conclusion of the VPA negotiations.<\/p>\n

SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said the Potomac Forum received funding through the SFI\u00a0Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant Program because it is building capacity in promoting\u00a0responsible procurement of forest products globally. \u201cForest certification can help meet demands for forest\u00a0products from legal sources,\u201d she said. \u201cSFI chain of custody and fiber sourcing requirements address the\u00a0reality of global markets, and make sure program participants perform risk assessments to avoid offshore\u00a0fiber from controversial sources such as illegal harvesting operations.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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