Yokohama, 1 September 2026 —
What if a piece of timber could reveal where it came from—even after it had been cut, transported and traded? Advances in DNA analysis and other forensic technologies are making this increasingly possible, giving authorities new ways to verify the species and geographic origin of wood and detect timber that has been illegally harvested. These tools could close one of the most persistent gaps in efforts to build legal and sustainable timber supply chains: proving where timber actually comes from.
