3 Introduction to illegal logging

Illegal logging has risen to prominence in international forestry dialogues over the last five years and there is a growing international willingness to combat the problem. There is widespread recognition of its linkages to ineffective governance, social conflict and violence. Illegal logging practices and trade cost the producers of legitimately sourced wood products billions of dollars in lost revenue. Considerable harm to forests and forest ecosystems may also occur.

WHAT IS ILLEGAL LOGGING?

Illegal logging takes place when timber is harvested, transported, bought or sold in violation of national and/or international laws. It is a pervasive problem in many countries where it is undermining authorities� efforts to manage forests sustainably. It is difficult to give a global definition of illegal logging because much depends on the specific laws of an individual country.

New Zealand accepts that sovereign nations are best placed to confirm the legality of timber operations and timber trade. In cases where forest governance, law enforcement and sustainable forest management (SFM) are weaker than desired, we acknowledge that partnerships involving the sharing of information and best practices may be helpful in ensuring legality.

WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF ILLEGAL LOGGING?

Examples of illegal logging are:

  • logging protected species;
  • duplication of felling licenses;
  • logging in protected areas;
  • logging outside concession boundaries;
  • logging in prohibited areas such as steep slopes, riverbanks and water catchments;
  • logging without authorisation;
  • obtaining logging concessions through bribes;
  • transporting illegally harvested timber;
  • exporting timber in contravention of national bans;
  • declaring lower values and volumes than actually exported;
  • ignoring environmental, social and labour laws and regulation.

For more examples of illegal logging, go to section 7.

ILLEGAL LOGGING � AN INTERNATIONAL CONCERN

Many international fora are discussing ways to combat the problem. These include fora specifically focused on illegal logging such as the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance regional processes and also broader multilateral environmental agreements that have forestry work programmes in which issues such as illegal logging are being discussed. The United Nations Forum on Forests is also discussing ways to combat illegal logging and trade.

ILLEGAL LOGGING IN NEW ZEALAND

In New Zealand there have been relatively minor instances of illegal logging. There are on average 15 investigations of illegal logging undertaken per year, of which five result in warnings and constitute minor infringements (a few cubic metres). On average two are more serious (100 cubic metres or so) and prosecuted. Most known cases are successfully prosecuted by MAF.

WHY DOES NEW ZEALAND CARE ABOUT ILLEGAL LOGGING?

Trade

New Zealand is a small player in the global forestry industry. For our size, however, we contribute greatly to the global trade of forest products and to international fora that work to progress sustainable forest management.

New Zealand regards the problem of illegal logging and related trade as an important issue, particularly given its interaction with other key issues such as SFM, trade, wider environmental issues such as biodiversity and climate change, and sustainable development. Many countries do not have the institutions or capability to move towards improved forest management practices. Illegal logging can add to these problems through the loss of large amounts of public revenue.

Illegal logging also taints the entire forestry industry as being environmentally unfriendly. This creates a lack of consumer confidence in forestry as a low energy intensity and sustainably produced resource.

New Zealand faces competition from illegal timber in its export and domestic markets. No assessment has been done on the economic impact of illegal logging and associated trade on the New Zealand forestry sector, but a recent study1 done in the US suggests it could be significant. The study showed that each year $US23 billion dollars of forest products are produced globally from illegally harvested timber. About $US5 billion of this is traded internationally.

New Zealand�s forestry industry operates under the sustainable management principles of the Resource Management Act 1991 and the indigenous forest provisions (Part IIIA) of the Forests Act 1949, as well as the New Zealand Forest Accord2. It is therefore difficult for the New Zealand forestry industry to compete fairly with competitors who can bypass similar requirements through illegal logging practices.

Development aid

Illegal logging can seriously erode the potential of rural communities in developing countries to establish and sustain livelihoods based on natural resources in forested areas as well as downstream lands, lagoons and fisheries. Illegal logging:

  • undermines national development;
  • denies livelihood opportunities for rural communities;
  • can increase rural poverty.

New Zealand is an important development partner for the small island developing states of the Pacific region and also supports South East Asian developing countries. NZAID is committed to long-term partnerships aimed at assisting in their economic growth and eliminating poverty, particularly by the establishment of sustainable rural livelihoods.

Illegal logging frustrates the long-term national development priorities of partner countries and can significantly frustrate the effectiveness of New Zealand�s support. New Zealand is a nation that respects the value of good governance, strong law enforcement and robust environmental management of ecosystems. Illegal logging and associated trade strike at the heart of these values.

See section 7 for further background information on:

  • What is illegal logging and associated trade?
  • What are some examples of illegal logging and associated trade?
  • What are the causes of illegal logging and associated trade?
  • What are the impacts of illegal logging and associated trade?
  • What is the global scale of illegal logging and associated trade?
  • What is the difference between sustainable forest management and legal logging?
  • What are some ways countries can work together to address the problem of illegally harvested or traded wood products?
  • What international initiatives exist to combat illegal logging?
  • What are some examples of New Zealand�s involvement in addressing illegal logging?

1Seneca Creek Associates and Wood Resources International, �Illegal logging and global wood markets: The competitive impacts on the US wood products industry�, prepared for American Forest and Paper Association, November 2004.

2The New Zealand Forest Accord is an agreement between the New Zealand Forest Owners� Association and major New Zealand environmental groups, which recognises that commercial plantations are an essential source of perpetually renewable fibre and energy, and that indigenous vegetation should be excluded from land clearing and disturbance by plantation forest managers.

 

Contact for Enquiries

Senior Policy Analyst
International Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND

Phone: +64 4 894 0650
Fax: +64 4 894 0742

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