Douala, 12 September 2024 — Furniture, musical instruments, medicines and fuelwood are among the uses of African rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus) which is harvested for its rich yellowish to rosy red and brown tones. Native to the semi-arid savannah forests of West Africa, it is estimated to be one of the, if not the most, heavily traded tropical hardwood in the world, with trade representing hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Since 2022, all populations of Pterocarpus erinaceus have been listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), reflecting the commitment of the Signatory Parties to the Convention to ensure that trade in this species occurs in a sustainable, legal and traceable manner.
From 2 to 6 September 2024, the CITES Secretariat organized the Regional Workshop for Range States of African Rosewood (Pterocarpus erinaceus), in cooperation with the Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT). Generously hosted by the Government of Cameroon in Douala and supported by the European Union, the workshop brought together 63 participants from the CITES Management and Scientific Authorities of the 15 African rosewood range States, 3 range States of other African tree species, non-governmental organizations and ATIBT.
The objective of the workshop was to catalyze an integrated range State approach to strengthening the sustainability and legality of trade in the species. The exercise supported the effort to address the recommendations made by the CITES Standing Committee for improving CITES implementation under the Convention’s expedited Article XIII procedure and the Review of Significant Trade (RST) process.
Through theoretical and practical capacity building, the workshop sought to equip range States with the best practices and tools for the preparation and making of Non-detriment Findings (NDFs), which are robust scientific assessments that determine whether or not trade in a specimen of the species will be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild, as well as Legal Acquisition Findings (LAFs), which are legal assessments that determine whether or not the specimen was legally acquired by establishing clear chains of custody.
CITES Secretary-General Ivonne Higuero said: “Our goal is to foster a sustainable future where rosewoods can thrive in their natural ecosystems at the same time that the range States engage in well-regulated international trade. Our ability to achieve this goal is rooted in the ability of range States to utilize the necessary tools and guidance to implement the Convention effectively.”
The workshop opened with presentations by the CITES Secretariat on the principles and concepts governing the making of NDFs as outlined in the new CITES NDF Guidance. Particular focus was made on Module 10 on NDFs for CITES tree species, noting that it recapitulates known principles of forestry that apply to all CITES tree species. Parties were encouraged to place forest inventories at the core of any NDF process for a CITES-tree species and to opt for a precautionary principle, including recommending cautious quotas and including conditions to positive NDFs to ensure long-term monitoring of populations under harvest.
ATIBT presented on NDFs for tree species and forest management principles. The session then shifted towards case studies on NDFs and the establishment of sustainable harvest and export quotas by range States, including in the context of the expedited application of Article XIII procedure and the review of significant trade process. These case studies allowed for discussions on the methods used by countries to develop their NDFs, the challenges faced, needs, best practices and lessons learnt.
Turning the focus of the workshop to LAFs, the CITES Secretariat then delivered presentations on the concept, objective and principles of LAFs, as well as the specificities of LAFs for tree species. After discussions on the management of stockpiles, participants reviewed cases studies on LAFs for Pterocarpus erinaceus and linkages with the expedited application of Article XIII. Range States, such as Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, and Sierra Leone, provided good examples of the range of approaches that are implemented at a national level to develop NDFs for timber and establish traceability systems in support of the LAF process.
A visit to the Port of Douala provided participants a unique opportunity to observe the processing of timber in a major trading terminal in West Africa. The focus of the visit was on the procedures and management of timber exports by the Ministry of Forestry and Customs of Cameroon and how traceability and chain of custody are ensured until the specimens are shipped.
Before the conclusion of the workshop, the Secretariat introduced the CITES Tree Species Project (CTSP), generously funded by the Government of Germany, and the opportunities that might arise from the Project and how Parties, including range States of Pterocarpus erinaceus, could benefit in the future.
____________________
Editor’s Notes:
For media enquiries, please contact [email protected]
For general enquiries, please contact [email protected]
About CITES
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was signed on 3 March 1973 and entered into force on 1 July 1975. With 184 Parties (183 countries + the European Union), it remains one of the world's most powerful tools for wildlife conservation through the regulation of international trade in over 40,900 species of wild animals and plants. CITES-listed species are used by people around the world in their daily lives for food, health care, furniture, housing, tourist souvenirs, cosmetics or fashion. CITES seeks to ensure that international trade in such species is sustainable, legal and traceable and contributes to both the livelihoods of the communities that live closest to them and to national economies for a healthy planet and the prosperity of the people in support of UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Follow CITES on social media:
Find out more: https://cites.org/eng