Forests for the World
© EIA
U.S. demand for cheap wood products is a major driver of the illegal timber trade in many forest-rich developing countries. Products made from illegally-sourced timber comprised roughly 10% of total U.S. wood products imports in 2006, according to an EIA study.
Here in the Chinese town of Suifenhe on the Russia-China border, a logyard is filled with high-risk wood cut in the forests to the north, where as much as 50% of logging is illegal. Traders in Suifenhe explained to EIA undercover investigators how they regularly bring massive amounts of cash to Russia and pay off the mafia in order to secure timber supplies.
This timber is destined for Chinese processing plants where much of it is shipped to the U.S. in the form of everything from furniture to plywood to picture frames.
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Uploaded on May 22, 2008
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Deforestation in Indonesia
© A. Ruwindrijarto/EIA/Telapak
While trekking through Gunung Leuser National Park, Indonesia in 2002, EIA investigators saw areas of the Park devastated by logging, heard chainsaws in most directions, witnessed the felling of trees within the park, and learned the location of some of the sawmills receiving the stolen logs.
Illegal logging has taken over virtually every forest in Indonesia to satisfy a heavy demand for Indonesian wood products. The environmental changes are devastating to both humans and endangered species alike. Flooding, forest fires, landslides, and poisoned water supplies are all products of illegal logging in Indonesia that threaten habitats and communities.
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Uploaded on May 21, 2008
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Ramin Log Raft in Indonesia
© Sam Lawson/EIA/Telapak
A 2004 EIA report revealed that Malaysia was the main processing hub of smuggled Indonesian ramin (Gonystylus spp.) before it enters the world market. This is a raft of illegal ramin logs on the Seruyan River near Tanjung Puting National Park, Indonesia.
Illegal logging in Indonesia has serious effects on local area's water supplies. Drinking water is poisoned and water tables are lowered where logging has occurred in catchment areas. Furthermore, as illegal logging increases, flooding becomes noticeably worse and landslides often destroy villages.
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Uploaded on May 20, 2008
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Illegal Timber Smugglers
© EIA/Telapak
EIA investigators met with timber traders in Singapore in 2003, who proudly explained on hidden camera the methods they used to smuggle Indonesian ramin (Gonystylus spp.) through Singapore and onto the world market. In this photo, notorious timber smuggler Frankie Chua counts stacks of $100 bills while his colleague refers to him as "mafia."
Indonesian ramin is a rare and protected species, listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
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Uploaded on May 19, 2008
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Ramin Wood Products
© EIA/Telapak
Ramin (Gonystylus spp.) is a tropical hardwood, native to Southeast Asia. Ramin forests provide habitat for many endangered species and is endangered itself, protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
Due to the high rate of illegal logging of ramin, wood products made from this species should be avoided, including picture frames, baby cribs, dowels, and tool handles.
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Uploaded on May 18, 2008
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