Mexico Timber Legality Risk Dashboard
By Forest Trends View PublicationIllegal logging remains a major challenge in Mexico, with estimates suggesting that between 3 and 70 percent of all wood harvested is sourced illegally—equivalent to five to fourteen million cubic meters annually, including alleged harvesting of CITES-listed species. Much of this timber is believed to enter domestic and international supply chains, with illegal logging closely tied to organized crime networks and cartels that also engage in trafficking, coercion, and human rights abuses. Violence associated with illegal timber extraction has contributed to the displacement of farmers and Indigenous communities and increased risks of labor exploitation, including child labor.
At the same time, Mexico’s ability to control imports of illegally sourced timber remains weak. Although legal mechanisms exist to verify that imported wood was harvested lawfully in its country of origin, these measures are poorly enforced, leaving the country vulnerable to continued inflows of illegal wood.