Trial investigates ways to verify timber species and harvest origins in Australia

Australia | Projects

The Australian Government is committed to playing its part and working with industry stakeholders and the international community to address illegal logging.

10/28/2024

One of the images of the project, denouncing illegal logging.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry of Australia has completed a timber testing trial investigating the best ways to implement technologies verifying claims of species and harvest origin of regulated timber and timber products.

Illegal logging is a global problem and is the most profitable transborder environmental crime, with wide-reaching and devastating impacts on climate, nature and people.

Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Policy Matt Lowe said globally, it has been estimated that about 15-30% of all wood traded is a product of illegal logging and illicit wood.

“Use of timber testing technologies will strengthen Australia’s ongoing efforts to address this problem by enhancing existing compliance and due diligence efforts under our illegal logging prohibition laws,” Mr Lowe said.

“They offer a means of verifying if claims made about the species and harvest origin of timber are accurate.

“The trial tested 146 products and 39 distinct species. A range of scientific methods were used including DNA, stable isotope, trace element, wood fibre and wood anatomy analyses.

“The results showed approximately 25% of products tested had an inconsistency with declared species, origin, or both.

“While not representative of the entire Australian market, the findings highlight that there is room for improvement for our regulated community to mitigate the risk of illegal logging timber entering our market.

“The department will continue to review the recommendations of the trial and work across the Australian Government and with industry stakeholders to inform future implementation of timber testing technologies under reformed legislation.

“This trial provides great insight into the benefits of introducing timber testing technologies to help mitigate the risk of illegally logged timber entering Australia’s market and better support the forestry sector.”

The Australian Government is committed to playing its part and working with industry stakeholders and the international community to address illegal logging. That is why Australian Government passed the Illegal Logging Prohibition Amendment Bill in 2024.

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