Thünen: FAQ

Illegally harvested wood can be found in all kinds of products: Picture frames, paintbrush handles, paper, garden chairs, decking boards, books. Exact figures on the amount of illegal logging are not available. According to calculations by the Thünen Institute of Forestry, global illegal logging in 2009 ranged from 103 to 284 million cubic metres of raw wood, around 7 to 17 percent of the total logging. Germany imports around 120 million cubic metres of wood or wood products every year. Of this, 2.4 to 5.2 million cubic metres came from illegal sources in 2009, around two to five percent of total timber imports.

The proportion of illegally harvested timber worldwide has fallen by around 22 per cent since 2002. This is due to increasing countermeasures by the EU, Australia and the USA.

The EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which has been in force since March 2013, prohibits the import and trade of illegally harvested timber and products made from it. However, certain trade goods are not yet covered by this regulation. Around 87 per cent of timber imported from third countries is covered by the EUTR. The new EU regulation for deforestation-free products (EUDR) includes other products such as printed paper products, chairs and charcoal and thus covers around 93 per cent of imports.

According to the FAO, around 4.7 million hectares of forest are destroyed worldwide every year. That is the equivalent of 18,000 football pitches per day. The consequences for the environment: Forests are not managed sustainably, contrary to the standards of forestry practice. Improper harvesting methods damage forest soils. All of this jeopardises biodiversity and the stability of forests. The result is large-scale deforestation and thus increased CO₂ emissions. At the same time, valuable forest stands are being lost, which in turn could bind excess CO₂. Climate change is progressing.

Illegal logging deprives the affected countries of tax revenues and fees, while at the same time fuelling corruption. The destruction of ecosystems jeopardises the income of the local population in the affected countries. According to World Bank estimates, the global economy loses between ten and 15 billion US dollars every year due to illegal logging. Furthermore, those who trade or process timber products illegally can do so at lower prices. This increases the economic pressure on companies operating in compliance with the law. As a result, sustainable forest management is coming under pressure, including in Germany.

The chart shows the five countries most affected by illegal logging in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe. Figures in percent.

The tropical regions of Asia, Africa, Latin America and Siberia are particularly affected. The figure lists the five most affected countries on four continents.

Due to international trade and the global division of labour, illegally harvested timber can also be contained in timber products imported from countries not directly affected.

The chart shows the five countries most affected by illegal logging in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Europe. Figures in per cent.

Consumers are deceived by the trade in illegal timber. For example, illegal (but also legal) timber is traded as so-called "replacement timber", i.e. under false declarations. They are often of inferior quality, which often results in financial damage. This is because too high a price is usually paid for these products, for example if they are labelled as higher-quality wood species such as mahogany.

Another issue is endangered and protected wood species. For example, the authorities repeatedly seize expensive musical instruments that contain protected woods (e.g. Rio rosewood in guitar fingerboards) without this being evident from the accompanying documents.

It is generally not possible for laypeople to verify the type and origin, particularly of tropical timber. The new legal regulations have created the conditions for ensuring that no products from illegal logging enter the EU domestic market. However, another type of illegality is of particular importance to consumers: falsely labelled timber products (which may well originate from legal logging). They usually only become apparent when inferior properties come to light - for example, when fungi infest the wood or cracks and deformations occur. This is where the Thünen Centre of Competence can make a direct contribution to consumer protection by identifying the wood beyond doubt.

Consumers can do something for the sustainable management of forests by looking for reliable forest sustainability certificates such as PEFC or FSC when buying.

One way to combat the destruction of forests is sustainable forest management. To achieve this, national laws must first be complied with when harvesting timber, but this is not guaranteed in all countries around the world. The EU is therefore taking action against illegal logging and the commercialisation of this timber as part of the FLEGT (Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade) action plan.

The EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), which has been in force since 3 March 2013, addresses the demand side. It prohibits the marketing of timber and timber products from illegal logging within the EU. Anyone placing timber on the market for the first time must ensure that it comes from legal sources and fulfil various due diligence obligations. They must specify the type and origin of the timber as well as suppliers and, if necessary, take measures to reduce the risk that the timber could originate from illegal logging.

The Timber Trade Regulation supplements the existing partnership agreements with six tropical countries (Ghana, Republic of Congo, Republic of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Indonesia and Liberia). These countries are setting up a permit and licence system to ensure that only legally harvested timber is exported to the EU.

The EU regulation for deforestation-free products (EUDR) was adopted in May 2023. This must be implemented from 30 December 2024 and replaces the EUTR. Under the EUDR, relevant raw materials and products may only be placed on the market, made available or exported from the EU if they are deforestation-free, have been produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of production and are covered by a so-called due diligence declaration.

In addition to the EU, the USA and Australia have also passed laws against the trade in illegally harvested timber.

The Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates the protection of endangered tree species. Trade-relevant, endangered tropical tree species are to be utilised in a nature-friendly manner. CITES currently lists several hundred endangered species in trade. Species with the highest protection level (WA Appendix I) are subject to a strict trade ban, similar to ivory. Species in the second and third protection levels may only be traded subject to strict conditions. The entire product chain from felling to loading must be controlled. Importing countries such as Germany inspect imports by trained customs and species protection authority personnel. The Thünen Institute has developed the computer-aided identification software "CITESwoodID", which is used throughout Europe, as a practical identification aid.

The most internationally traded and CITES-listed tree species are the American mahogany, the decorative African Afrormosia and the Ramin, which is mainly imported from Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Thünen Centre of Competence verifies the origin and type of wood and wood products beyond doubt. The centre has access to one of the world's largest scientific wood collections (Xylothek) with around 37,500 samples and 50,000 microscopic specimens. These are the reference material for the macroscopic and microscopic identification of woods and for the development of a genetic database, which is required for the genetic identification of wood species and origin. In addition, the centre trains scientists from wood-producing countries and supports them, e.g. in Africa, in setting up genetic and/or wood anatomical reference laboratories. In future, these will carry out some of the controls on site.

Consumers, associations and companies can contact the competence centre to have wood samples tested. The centre also provides expertise on issues relating to legality, sustainability and trade flows.

Macroscopic determination of wood species: This method is suitable for an initial reliable assessment of whether the wood species or trade name is correctly declared. For macroscopic determination, the cross-sectional surfaces of the samples are cut with a cutter and the structural features are examined with a magnifying glass (10 to 12x magnification). Important commercial woods can thus be reliably identified to genus or species level.

Microscopic determination of wood species: The Thünen Centre of Competence carries out microscopic analyses for official expert opinions that also stand up in court. For this purpose, the scientists produce microscopic sections of the samples to be analysed. Under the light microscope, the woods are compared on the basis of approx. 100 anatomical structural features and reliably identified to genus or species level. The microscopic techniques can be routinely used for the identification of all solid woods down to very thin veneer layers (layer thicknesses of less than 0.15 mm). It is also possible to examine charcoal and, to a certain extent, fibreboard and paper.

Genetic identification of wood species and wood origin: The Thünen Centre of Competence is developing practical test methods based on molecular markers to identify the exact species of wood. These genetic barcodes can also be used to identify some species that are difficult to distinguish using other methods. Depending on the available data material, it should be possible in individual cases to determine the origin of a piece of wood to an accuracy of less than 30 kilometres. To do this, the scientists first record the spatial-genetic pattern of the trees in a target area. This can be the distribution area of a tree species, specific regions of a country or an even smaller spatial unit. The scientists collect samples for each tree species in the respective target region and analyse them using modern gene markers. The data on the geographical-genetic structure determined in this way forms reference data for the classification of the wood samples. This can be used to check whether information on the country and region of origin is correct. The following applies: the higher the quality of the genetic reference data, the higher the number of samples and the more varied the gene markers, the more accurately the origin can be determined.

As a forgery-proof genetic method, a procedure is also offered in which samples are taken during the timber harvest. The genetic match can then be determined at any point in the trade chain using a second sample. This can be used to secure written documents on the processing and trade chain.

The EUTR will be repealed with effect from 30 December 2024. Companies that place relevant raw materials and products on the market in the EU, make them available or export them from the EU must then apply the provisions of the EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation). For micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, the regulations will only apply from 30 June 2025.

Special transitional rules apply to all wood products that were previously covered by the EUTR. For EUTR products manufactured before 29 June 2023 and placed on the market from 30 December 2024, the EUTR will continue to apply until 31 December 2027. For EUTR products manufactured before 29 June 2023 and placed on the market from 31 December 2027, the new EUDR will apply.

The Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) is responsible for implementing and enforcing the regulation in Germany. In contrast, the respective state authorities are responsible for monitoring domestic raw materials and products made from cattle, soya and wood.

Further information can be found at the BLE website: www.ble.de/DE/Themen/Wald-Holz/Entwaldungsfreie-Produkte/Lieferketten_node.html;jsessionid=CE3E3806E110B19C0506A1D54F3BAED2.internet001 (in German)