Since the nineties, global concern over illegal logging in tropical forests has mounted. Numerous initiatives have been established and agreements signed to promote the sustainable use of forest resources and combat illegal forest practices.
The European Union's Action Plan on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) is one of the most comprehensive and ambitious attempts of timber-consuming countries to reduce illegal logging.
However, a lack of understanding of what causes illegal logging jeopardizes the success of any action against illegal forest activities, according to CIFOR researcher Paolo Cerutti.
"Although there is a lot of concern about illegal logging, the real nature and extent of the phenomenon are often unclear, as many developing countries don't produce comprehensive data about their forestry sector", says Cerutti.
He describes the situation in Cameroon, a country that is often thought to have a high amount of illegal logging.
"The amount and quality of data about industrial wood production and export in Cameroon have improved in recent years, but we don't know much about logging for the domestic market," says Cerutti.
"What is the impact of these small scale logging operations on the national economy? On urban and rural livelihoods? On biodiversity? This lack of data makes it very difficult to propose viable policy options for the logging sector" he added.
In order to gain a better understanding of the scope and impact of the domestic timber markets in Central Africa, CIFOR will conduct a two-year study in Cameroon and Gabon, the main timber exporting countries in the region.
The data collected will assist the governments in shaping their forest policies. The information will also help the European Union, and other external partners, to assess the impacts of FLEGT and other forest policies on sustainable forest management and livelihoods.
Small Logging Enterprises
CIFOR research has shown that illegal logging and export in Cameroon has not been as prevalent as some figures suggest. Research has also revealed that illegal logging in the Central African country is partly caused by small scale operators who have no legal options to harvest timber.
"While international attempts to reduce illegality in the forest sector tend to focus on industrial logging, the problem is to some degree at the local level", explains Cerutti.
"Bureaucracy and regulations that don't take into account the specific circumstances of small scale operators have obstructed the efforts of these informal businesses to operate legally. Improving the professional skills of these entrepreneurs and regulating their activities could have a big impact on both livelihoods and illegal logging."
Voluntary Partnership Agreements
One of the elements of the EU's FLEGT Action Plan is Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs) with timber producing countries that wish to eliminate illegal timber from their trade with the EU. The agreement involves a licensing scheme and a definition of 'legally-produced timber'.
Cameroon is one of the first African countries to negotiate a VPA with the European Union.
While the agreement is likely to include a reference to livelihoods, to ensure that any action against illegal logging is fair and equitable, exactly how this will be achieved is not clear, according to another CIFOR researcher, Guillaume Lescuyer.
"To measure the impact of FLEGT on livelihoods, you need more data about the informal timber sector in the country," said Lescuyer. "How many people work in this sector? How much money do they make? What logging method do they use? What is the impact on the local biodiversity? These are questions we try to answer with this study."
The 'Illegality Trap"
To get a complete picture of the logging situation in Cameroon and Gabon, CIFOR's study will analyze both illegal exports and illegal timber traded on the domestic market.
This analysis will involve: assessment of the total volume of illegally logged timber; clarification of the commodity chain and local socio-economic and ecological impacts; evaluation of the impact of FLEGT on illegal logging in Cameroon and Gabon.
The research results will assist the EU FLEGT plan to reduce illegal logging while improving livelihoods. During the two-year span of the project, several workshops will inform authorities and partners about the results of the study and provide appropriate policy advice.
"FLEGT should not result in an 'illegality trap' for the informal small scale operators," said Lescuyer. "Instead the program should find ways to maximize the positive impacts of timber exploitation on local populations. For example by legalizing and stabilizing the informal sector."
The project - sponsored by the Dutch government - corresponds with other CIFOR research on FLEGT in Asia, and will thus contribute to global comparative research on illegal logging.CIFOR
