Outputs

Fourth Meeting of the Mahogany Working Group and First Latin-American Workshop of the ITTO-CITES Project on Ensuring International Trade in CITES-listed Timber Species is Consistent with their Sustainable Management and Conservation
13-15 November 2008 / Cancun, Mexico

The Fourth Meeting on MWG and the First Latin-American Workshop of the ITTO-CITES Program on ensuring international trade in CITES-listed timber species is consistent with their sustainable management and conservation for the range States of mahogany was held on November 13-15, 2008. This was a joint workshop between the MWG and the ITTO-CITES Programme. The primary objective was to promote capacity development, to provide stakeholders awareness of global, regional and national activities related to international trade in mahogany consistent with their sustainable management and conservation, to create a basis for further cooperation and research, and share information on their best practices on making NDFs for Swietenia macrophylla. The workshop was devised to assist policy-makers from relevant government agencies, national CITES authorities, as well as private sector operators in the timber sector in the range States and NDF scientists. The workshop involved over 60 participants from all the main range States in Central and South America as well as some importing countries, representatives of NGOs, timber trade private sector, and international organizations.

• Meeting minutes SP

International Expert Meeting on Non-Detrimental Findings
17-21 November 2008 / Cancun, Mexico

The 4th Mahogany Working Group (MWG) meeting and the international meeting on NDF's was held back-to-back in Cancun, Mexico from November 13-21, 2008. The International Expert Meeting on NDF was held on 17-21 November. The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) provided financial support for both meetings with program funds, and other budgetary resources available for CITES support. The main aim of the workshop was to provide Parties with elements that enhance their understanding of what NDFs are and how they can be formulated. The different approaches and paths followed by Scientific Authorities along the NDF decision-making process were presented through case studies which were analyzed and summarized, taking into account the Parties’ experiences. The regional Coordinator for Africa submitted a case study on the African teak (Pericopsis elata) in Cameroon, which was discussed in the Trees Working Groups (TWG). (In addition to Pericopsis elata law specialist) The TWG proposed a common guideline on what a NDF is for timber and medicinal plants and a synthesis of the most relevant aspects of NDF development to be considered by Scientific Authorities, on a voluntary basis.

For more details of the workshop see the following link of the Government of Mexico:
http://www.conabio.gob.mx/institucion/cooperacion_internacional/TallerNDF/taller_ndf.html

• Workshop Program English
  November 2008

• List of participants
  November 2008

• Output of Workshop Regional Strategy for Mahogany
  February 2009

2nd Latin America Regional Workshop of the ITTO-CITES Program to Ensure that International Trade in CITES-listed Timber Species is Consistent with Their Sustainable Management and Conservation: Experiences in Application of Yield Coefficients for Control and Monitoring of Timber Activity
21-23 April 2009 / Lima, Peru

The “II Latin America Workshop of the ITTO-CITES Program to Ensure that International Trade in CITES-listed Timber Species is Consistent with their Sustainable Management and Conservation: Experiences in Application of Yield Coefficients for Control and Monitoring of Timber Activity” was held in Peru on 21-23 April 2009. The main objective was to share experiences of Latin American countries in determining yield and status of application of yield coefficients for control and monitoring of timber activities. The yield coefficients are considered an useful and reference tool for the promotion of forest management (management, use and conservation), control and monitoring of mahogany and cedar logging and trade. However, it is important to use specific mechanisms to train operators, to adopt management tools and to promote the effective implementation of CITES.
Considering that the main purpose of CITES to ensure the conservation of species and its sustainable international trade, it is important to note that the application of yield coefficients is only a tool to help achieve the goal.

Conclusions:

1. There are methodologies for determining yield coefficients, and they are considered an useful tool as a complement to strengthen forest management (management, use and conservation) of mahogany and cedar;
2. The specific yield coefficients (mahogany and cedar) can be used, and these coefficients should be determined and recognized at the national level; and,
3. The calculation of conversion factors from log to products covered within CITES should include a range of variation and an adequate level of reliability.

• Workshop Program English / Spanish
  April 2009

• List of participants
  April 2009

• Workshop Program English / Spanish
  April 2009

Workshop on CITES and the Implications to the Private Sector
05 May 2009 / Brasília, Brazil

The Regional Project Coordinator for Latin America participated in the “Workshop on CITES and the Implications to the Private Sector”, held in Brasilia, Brazil, on 05 May 2009. The participants were representatives of national private sector associations, federal and state governments, international organizations, and other invited persons and organizations. The objective was to disseminate information on CITES implementation and its mechanisms to the private sector, discuss the implications to trade, and enhance the cooperation between the private and public sector in dealing with CITES and other international conventions and agreements signed and ratified by the country.

According to the presentations and discussions carried out during the workshop, the forest-based sector recognizes the needs to:

1. Take an urgent pro-active stance concerning the CITES decision that prohibits any importing country to accept shipments of species listed in CITES Appendix II under a court order, because the Brazilian judiciary system and the sovereignty of the country are placed at a risk;
2. Expand regional networking with partners in the Amazon region, especially Peru and Bolivia, and involve the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) for this regional integration;
3. Endeavor efforts for the approval of the project of AIMEX/UFPA for the ITTO-CITES Program, as well as to promote other organization of the forest sector to also submit projects to this Program, so that the private sector contributes to provide scientific evidences and information for decision-making process of the Brazilian government in international negotiations;
4. Assess the possibility to carry out a regional meeting among Brazil, Peru and Bolivia to address mahogany and cedar-related issues. This meeting could count on the support of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the ITTO-CITES Program;
5. Request the federal government to establish a Program for the Promotion of Mahogany Sustainable Management, including forest concessions, even as a way to improve CITES image, clarifying misinformation that the Convention is an obstacle to trade of species included in its appendices;
6. Make an official request for inclusion of the private sector´s representatives in the Mahogany Action Plan;
7. Request greater transparency in the activities of the Brazilian authorities related to CITES to allow the participation of the private sector and academia in the official meetings and fora, such as participation in the Flora Committee and the Conference of the Parties as a member of the official delegation;
8. Propose the appointment of other scientific authorities;
9. Carry out more events and meetings on the theme, broadening the channels to encourage the participation of the private sector and academia;
10. Encourage a more pro-active stance of the private sector on studies related to ecology, dynamics, dispersion, occurrence and trade in species for the inclusion in the CITES' appendices.

• List of participants
  May 2009

XIII World Forestry Congress / ITTO-CITES Side Event
18-23 October 2009 / Buenos Aires, Argentina

The XIII World Forestry Congress was convened in Buenos Aires, Argentina between 18 and 23 October, 2009. Over 4,500 people representing international organizations, intergovernmental organizations, governments, private sector, academia and the civil society, participated in the event.

The title of the event organized by ITTO and CITES was “Ensuring international trade in CITES-listed timber species is consistent with their sustainable management and conservation’’, held on 19 October 2009, from 18:30 - 20:30 in Yellow Pavillion, Quebracho Room at the Convention Center La Rural.

The event was chaired by Dr. Manoel Sobral Filho (former ITTO executive Director). Steve Johnson (General Coordinator of the ITTO-CITES Program) was responsible for the presentation on the ITTO-CITES Program, providing an overview on the Program. Sofia Hirakuri made presentations on the status of activities in Asia and Latin America; specific case studies on ramin case, a review of peat swamp forest silviculture system in Indonesia was presented by Ms. Hesti L. Tata of Forest and Nature Conservation R & D Center Indonesia, and a case study on mahogany in Peru was presented by Ignacio Lombardi of the Agrarian University of La Molina (UNALM). About 60 people participated in the event.

PRESENTATIONS

• ITTO & CITES: Collaboration for Trade in Sustainably Managed Tropical Timber Species [en]
  by Steven Johnson

• Overview of ITTO-CITES Program Implementation: Asia [en]
  by Ivan Tomaselli and Sofia Hirakuri

• Overview of ITTO-CITES Program Implementation: Latin America [en]
  by Ivan Tomaselli and Sofia Hirakuri

• Ensuring International Trade on Pericopsis elata (Assamela/Afrormosia) is Consistent with its Conservation in the Congo Basin [en]
  by Jean Lagarde Betti

• Towards a Non Detriment Findings Report for Assamela in Cameroon [en]
  by Jean Lagarde Betti

• Proyecto UNALM-ITTO PD 251/03 Rev. 3(F) “Evaluación de las Existencias Comerciales y Estrategia para el Manejo Sostenible de la Caoba (Swietenia macrophylla) en el Perú” Y Adenda Cedro [es]
  Presentation of Results - Cedar

• Proyecto UNALM-ITTO PD 251/03 Rev. 3(F) “Evaluación de las Existencias Comerciales y Estrategia para el Manejo Sostenible de la Caoba (Swietenia macrophylla) en el Perú [es]
  Presentation of Results - Mahogany by Ignacio Lombardi I.

• Review on Peat Swamp Forest Silviculture System in Indonesia [en]
  by Hesti L. Tata

3rd Latin America Regional Workshop on the ITTO-CITES Program to Ensure that International Trade in CITES-listed Timber Species is Consistent with Their Sustainable Management and Conservation
15-17 February 2011/Brasilia, Brazil

The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), with the full support from the ITTO and CITES, organized the third Latin America regional workshop. The main objective was to share results and experiences from the Latin American range States, mainly Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. A total of 55 participants, including the ITTO and CITES Secretariat, attended the workshop.

Seven key recommendations were forwarded by the workshop:

1. The need to continue the program, but that it would require additional funding;
2. The quality of the research results presented is high;
3. The ITTO-CITES program should include incentives for forest plantations;
4. Government organizations and research institutes should work towards improving research to remove mahogany from Appendix II;
5. Funding is an essential component, it is also important for countries to approve activities and show interest in implementation;
6. Regional forums are an alternative for cooperation such as OCTA;
7. Mahagony Working Group to consider importance in looking into species from regional perspective and not working in individual countries.

• Full report is available in Spanish. [es]
  by Hesti L. Tata

4th Meeting of Working Group on Mahogany and Neotropical Timber Species
7-11 November 2011/Péten, Guatemala

The meeting hosted by the Government of Guatemala was convened by ITTO and CITES in Péten, Guatemala immediately prior to the 46th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council.  It was attended by nearly 50 participants from all major range stages of big-leaf mahogany, major importers and other stakeholders. The report (available below) was provided to the subsequent meetings of the CITES Plants Committee in 2012 and to CITES CoP16 in 2013.

• Full report is available in Spanish [es]
  by Hesti L. Tata