Science and technologies to combat illegal logging and associated trade. Shelley Gardner U.S. Forest Service, International Programs

Transcription

1 Science and technologies to combat illegal logging and associated trade Shelley Gardner U.S. Forest Service, International Programs

2 US FOREST SERVICE international programs Technical Cooperation Policy Disaster Programs Outreach and Partnerships

3 USFS tools and technology to combat illegal logging Forest inventory and monitoring Timber tracking Wood identification, wood science

4 USFS Timber Tracking Domestic USFS log tracking system Low-tech integrated system to track logs from source to final destination Law enforcement International collaboration LIBERIA, BOLIVIA, and HONDURAS Higher tech approach, IT-, GPS based, computerized CoC systems Forest operations information management system Forest Mapping CoC Monitoring Open platform for storing, producing, managing documents Audit for data validation and reconciliation

5 Wood science meeting legislative and market requirements Compliance and enforcement of policy Lacey Act and CITES Forensic support Wood identification Genus, species Geographic Origin Applying science to timber tracking Innovation Informing policy and promoting trade of legally harvested wood products

6 Wood anatomy Classical laboratory analysis Fiber testing Field identification manuals, training Automated wood ID Wood anatomy of molecular techniques Fingerprinting methods DNA Stable isotopes Wood science initiatives and international collaboration Integrating technologies application Technology transfer and outreach

7 Wood anatomy classical laboratory analysis Depends on highly specialized scientific expertise and access to xylarium USFS FPL long standing history Center for Wood Anatomy Research Traditional analysis of seized material CITES violations Lacey violations

8 Content verification: fiber analysis of Pulp and paper microscopy Experts can determine: Pulping process (mechanical, chemical) Wood type (e.g. hardwoods, softwoods) pulp and paper products Genus, sometimes species

9 Field identification manuals CITES Tropical Timber Manual 2002: English, French, Spanish, Polish, Chinese Identificacion de las especies maderables de Centroamerica 2011: Spanish, English Alex C. Wiedenhoft, Research Botanist

10 Field manuals and training inefficient Machine vision wood ID Research into more efficient identification necessary Use computers and sensors to develop portable, handheld identification application Prototype 2012 IAWA Pan American Meeting, Recife Brazil Alex C. Wiedenhoft, Research Botanist John C. Hermanson, Research Scientist

11 Wood anatomy of molecular techniques Improving efficiency in extracting DNA of sufficient quality and quantity from wood products Indentify DNA in wood predictably located in certain cells Pre-processing specimens can maximize extraction efficiency Evaluate extractions Alex C. Wiedenhoft, Research Botanist Brook Milligan, NM State University

12 Fingerprinting methods Forensic Network USFS National Forest Genetics Laboratory Forensic analysis in cases of timber theft Distinguishing individuals within a population US Fish & Wildlife Service National Forensics Laboratory Dedicated to crimes against wildlife Case history example fraudulent interstate salmon sales The US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab. Credit: USFWS Lab scientist at work. Credit: USFWS

13 Fingerprinting methods R&D vti Institute of Forest Genetics - Germany ITTO-Project: Development and implementation of a species identification and timber tracking system with DNA fingerprints and stable isotopes in Africa Pilot study: timber tracking and species identification of Russian larch and Mongolian oak Russia-Germany-US Russian Academy of Sciences Honduras Pilot study DNA of bigleaf mahogany

14 Integrating Science & Technologies Tracking legal timber from forest to client

15 Complementary technologies Scientific, tamper-proof systems where technologies verify genus, species, geographic origin any place along supply chain. Chain of custody documentation Falsifiable and substitutable Wood Anatomy Taxonomic identity but not always to species Stable isotopes Geographic origin on a regional scale Molecular genetics Individual identity Taxonomic identity, often to species Geographic origin

16 The way forward - collaboration Investment in R&D, technology transfer and outreach Public private partnerships International Barcode of Life (ibol) Tree Barcode of Life (TreeBOL) Smithsonian Institute International Center for Identification of Timber Species and Origins, Bioversity International

17 Our situation Legality Illegality