Cross-Border Timber Trade Monitoring
Submitted by Website Officer on 28 August 2011 - 1:17pm
Introduction
TNRF has teamed up with the East African Wildlife Society (EAWLS) to carry out a program, “Monitoring of Wood and Wood Products Trade in Kenya and Tanzania Border Points.” The project, funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is up and running, implementing activities geared at monitoring the traded forest goods at Kenya-Tanzania borders.
Project Background:
Over the years many organizations have identified a growing concern about illegal cross-border trade in timber products, and the need for ongoing monitoring and improved capacity for law enforcement and stronger policies enforcing such activities. The East African Community (EAC)’s protocol on environment and natural resources, the African Forest Research Network (AFORNET) and a report from TRAFFIC in Tanzania (Lessons learned from logging boom in Southern Tanzania) all point to the same issue – there are inadequate mechanisms for information sharing and tracking of timber products cross-border.
Therefore, this project is designed to address these issues, by focusing on traded timber goods or wood market patterns, origins, management systems and other information that might facilitate improved management of domestic use of resources and cross border trading. The idea is to develop a system for regular monitoring and tracking of illegal timber trade at the border sites shared by Kenya and Tanzania.
So far activities have mainly consisted of laying the groundwork for the project—eg. developing critical partnerships with NGOs and government officials, introducing the project to border agents, and launching the project at the border points.
Next Steps:
Now that the project is up and running, the data collection and monitoring will begin. The team intends to carry out the following activities:
- Conduct study/survey on domestic timber and wood market patterns, origins and management systems at cross border sites, and develop a publication of the study report
- Identify issues leading to weak governance and inadequate law enforcement at cross border sites
- Develop materials on policies regarding cross border timber and wood issues.
- Set up and implement a system for regular monitoring/tracking illegal trade
- Share information with key stakeholders through quarterly forums on cross border issues
Learn more about this project from the East African Wildlife Society:
Relevance:
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