CITES, mahogany logging and
isolated indigenous tribes in Peru
PERU and MAHOGANY
• The world’s largest exporter of mahogany
• Mahogany threatened by extinction
• One of very few commercial wood species
covered by the CITES convention
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
PERU and tribes living in
voluntary isolation
• Peru has one of the world’s largest populations of
people living in voluntary isolation – all in the
Amazon
• Totally dependent on resources found in the forest
• Extremely vulnerable for intruders, logging and
illnesses
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
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Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Mahogany logging threatens
survival of indian tribes
• Widespread illegal logging in the very remote
living areas for these tribes
• Also widespread illegal logging in national parks
and reserves designated for these tribes’ survival
• Violent, fatal clashes every year between loggers
and isolated indians
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
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Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Peru’s non-compliance with CITES
• Forthcoming report by AIDESEP – Nationals
association of Amazon indians in Peru
• Exports of mahogany regulated through export
quota and CITES licences
• CITES requires sustainability – not only legality
• Peru lacks basic knowledge and ignores scientific
advice
- No ”non-detriment finding”
- only 4 of 9 recommendations from scientific
committee met in 2007
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Illegal timber exported with CITES
licences
• 72 % of visited concessions in 2005 and
2006 had ”irregularities” – like logging
non-existing mahogany
• 20 of the biggest exporters exported
illegally logged mahogany with CITES
certificate in 2005
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Rainforest Foundation Norway
Could CITES help?
• CoP meeting in the Netherlands in June
• Standing Committee and other ”lowerlevel” CITES institutions
- could possibly put moratorium on
mahogany exports
• EU could ban mahogany imports from Peru
Rainforest Foundation Norway
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What could we as NGOs do?
• Crucial European countries:
- Germany, UK, Netherlands, Spain
• Which NGOs will be represented at CITES
meeting(s)?
Rainforest Foundation Norway
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