A stark warning that unless illegal logging is halted, the next decade will see an end to much of Indonesia’s productive forest resource was delivered to a Timber Trade Federation (TTF) seminar.
In a presentation to TTF members Alistair Fraser, a Department for International Development consultant, said that the current level of illegal logging was estimated to be 30 million m³.
In 1991 regulations were introduced which tried to improve the basis of forestry management. Forest production management units – known as KPHPs in Indonesia – were introduced in an effort to make forestry more sustainable.
Mr Fraser recommended that the trade should source timber from companies with KPHPs and encourage other suppliers to work towards adopting these. This, he said, would send an important message to Indonesian suppliers about the direction the UK trade wished forest management practices to develop.
The UK trade represents only 1-2% of Indonesian exports but is keen to play a positive part in addressing the situation.
The TTF plans to hold further briefings in the near future.
