A trained local forest officer measures the diameter of a mahogany tree in Madre de Dios, Peru. Photo: Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina
Leading experts from across the globe met in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 19 to 23 October 2015 for the 22nd meeting of the Plants Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Top on the agenda was the conservation status and exploitation levels of several high-value timber and tropical hardwood species, such as African teak, rosewoods and ebonies, as well as other economically valuable non-timber forest products such as African cherry, agarwood and sandalwood.