Civil society group calls for more support for communities and women on forest landscape restoration

ITTO should accelerate support for community-led implementation of its Guidelines for Forest Landscape Restoration in the Tropics to increase the effectiveness of restoration efforts and ensure that communities benefit from them, the Civil Society Advisory Group (CSAG) said in a statement today.

The statement was issued during a CSAG-hosted panel discussion on restoration strategies and experiences held during the 60th session of the International Tropical Timber Council.

“We are very excited that the challenges and opportunities of women-led restoration initiatives have been duly recognized at the highest level of the ITTO,” CSAG said in the statement.

CSAG urged the Council “to further accelerate support for community-led implementation of the ITTO’s published guidelines”, especially those aspects on engaging stakeholders, supporting participatory governance and tailoring work to the local context using diverse approaches. The guidelines, published in 2020, are a technical guide on tropical forest restoration that can be adapted to the needs and capacities of users.

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Tropical timber trade group wants ITTO to do more to champion tropical timber

With wood producers worldwide reeling from skyrocketing shipping costs and the tropical timber sector suffering from negative consumer perceptions, the Trade Advisory Group (TAG) called on ITTO today to focus on rebuilding demand for tropical timber by communicating the “tremendous progress” producers have made on timber traceability, legality and sustainability.

In a statement delivered as part of Trade and Markets Day during the 60th session of the International Tropical Timber Council, TAG said the tropical timber sector was under pressure on various fronts, especially from shipping costs.

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Deforestation regulation draws more discussion

The new European Union Deforestation Regulation, known as EUDR, which has been subject to considerable discussion in previous sessions of the International Tropical Timber Council, also received attention today as part of the Council’s Trade and Market Day.

CIFOR-ICRAF Chief Operating Officer Robert Nasi presented on the implications of the EUDR for the tropical timber trade. He said the regulation, which was adopted in 2023, is designed to address deforestation associated with several commodities and derived products imported into the European Union.

Dr Nasi outlined differences between the EUDR and the European Union Timber Regulation, which was introduced in 2013, and described some key risks and opportunities for producer countries. He said uncertainties remained about the EUDR, including around proposed amendments. Implementation of the regulation has been delayed, and it is now expected to come into force at the end of 2025.

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