Publications

Amendment to the U.S. Lacey Act

Implications for Malaysian Forest Products Exporters

Malaysia is one of the largest producers and suppliers of tropical hardwood and related products destined for the United States. In 2007, the United States imported almost 2.2 m3 RWE of timber products from Malaysia – mostly plywood and furniture – totaling USD$1.1 billion in value. Sabah and Sarawak supply the great majority of the […]

Linking FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements to Jobs and Growth

Potential Challenges and Benefits for Small and Medium Sized Forest Enterprises

This brief report discusses the potential impact of the European Commission’s Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) on the extent to which improved investment and business climates supported by VPA programs can support the small and medium forest enterprise (SMFE) sector. Recognizing the important roles that SMFEs play in rural development and the alleviation of rural poverty, […]

Forest Products Trade Between China & Africa

An Analysis of Imports & Exports

Recent reports of China’s efforts to secure access to natural resources in Africa suggest that timber has already become an important traded commodity between China and the African continent. Many hold a general impression that Africa exports a significant and growing amount of timber to China. However, the true magnitude of the China-Africa forest product […]

Recent Developments in Forest Product Trade between Russia and China

Potential Production, Processing, Consumption and Trade Scenarios

China has a very significant role in the global timber market and this has significant ramifications for forests, forest livelihoods and the structure of forest industries around the world. In this report we will focus on possible future trends in the forest products-processing, consumption and trade between China and its main suppliers, with a particular […]

Forest Certification and Governments

The Real and Potential Influence on Regulatory Frameworks and Forest Policies

This paper is one of a series of reviews that cover critical challenges for the continued growth of certification to impact sustainable forestry around the globe. Each chapter attempts to gather as many cases as possible and to include a large and broad number of contributors. The chapters are meant to inform the forest community […]

China’s Impact on Papua New Guinea’s Forestry Industry

The harvesting and export of timber forms an important part of the Papua New Guinea national economy, and China is one of its most significant trading partners. China is the principal market for round logs from Papua New Guinea; it imported over one million cubic meters of logs from PNG in 2002. China’s imports of […]

Forest Carbon and Local Livelihoods

Assessments of Opportunities and Policy Recommendations

This paper brings together insights from emerging forestry and conservation paradigms and investigates their relevance for the debate on the social impact of CDM forestry.

Opportunities and Constraints to Investment

Natural Tropical Forest Industries

The global forest products industry represents close to 3% of the world’s gross economic output, and the forests upon which it depends are particularly important ecosystems for the health of the planet and for human well-being. The size of the industry, its links to the rest-of-the-world economy, and the centrality of its resource base to […]

Risk Mitigation in Forestry

Linkages with Kyoto and Sustainable Forestry Management

This paper aims to illustrate some of the new influences which are affecting the forestry sector globally; it also highlights some of the opportunities and constraints which are becoming apparent. The report focuses on the role of forestry within the climate change debate. This has been done for two reasons; first, because the sector plays […]

Forest Company-Community Agreements in Brazil

Current Status and Opportunities for Action

Agreements between the private forest sector and local forest communities have been increasingly recognized as a potential solution to some problems related to poverty alleviation, increasing demand for wood products and the need to increase the global forest area under sustainable forest management. Very little is known about the Brazilian experience on these types of […]