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Forests Monitor believes that forest industries must operate within a regulatory framework that fosters accountability and that puts the needs and rights of forest-dependent peoples at the heart of their actions.

Loss of local peoples' rights

In many countries, the rights of forest-dependent peoples are not recognised by national laws. Nor are these peoples given the opportunity to have a say in decisions that are made about forests and their management. Consequently, all too often industrial timber exploitation occurs at the expense of local people who see their rights eroded and their needs ignored.

Logging operations can have a devastating impact on local communities. The livelihoods of millions of rural people depend on access to forest lands and the management and extraction of forest resources. With the loss of their rights to these lands, people’s ways of life are undermined and their cultural identity threatened.

The establishment of forestry operations can result in the influx of hundreds and sometimes thousands of newcomers to previously remote areas, bringing rapid social change and sometimes conflict. These new populations increase pressure on natural resources, for example, hunting for bushmeat has resulted in the local extinction of species in certain areas. They can also have a negative impact on health, with the introduction of new diseases and the creation of conditions that encourage the spread of illnesses such as malaria.

While forest industries should be contributing towards local economic development, frequently no benefits are seen by those who live in forest areas. Promises are often made that the timber industry will bring benefits for local communities, including employment opportunities, or healthcare and schools - indeed, they may be legally obliged to provide these. But in reality these are rarely fulfilled. The promised infrastructure is often not built, while it is typically outsiders who fill many of the available jobs.

Illegal logging

Illegal logging is a significant problem in many parts of the world. Illegal operations, by their very nature, do not comply with forest and environment laws. These laws establish the management requirements for forest exploitation, these typically designed to ensure the sustainability of harvesting practices, and may also provide for the safety and working conditions of employees. Consequently, illegal logging is often associated with deforestation and environmental degradation and with poor working practices.

Forestry laws also lay out the taxes and fees that companies must pay to governments. However, it is estimated that billions of pounds of revenue are lost to governments every year because of non-payment of taxes – revenue that is greatly needed by many countries to reduce poverty and encourage development.

Unsustainable

Many logging operations are unsustainable. Management plans, which are meant to ensure sustainability, are often not written, or where they do exist they are not followed. Consequently, many forests are simply mined for the most valuable species, rather than being managed in such a way that will ensure their long-term viability – either economically or ecologically.

Over-harvesting of species reduces the genetic diversity of a population, and if a high proportion of the mature, seed producing trees is removed, regeneration can be impeded. As well as reducing future harvests for the timber company, this will change the species composition of the forest which can have wider ecological consequences. Logged forests are also more susceptible to fire and less able to withstand environmental changes such as drought – phenomena which could become more frequent with the onset of global warming.

Our responsibility

The demand for cheap timber in consumer countries encourages illegal and unsustainable forestry by providing a ready market for its products. The European Union represents a significant market for timber, and in recent years, it has been taking steps to reduce the import of timber from illegal and unsustainable sources. It has also been working with many forested countries to help them improve governance of their forests. (Further information can be found on the EU's website on forests.)

As consumers, we also have a responsibility to demand timber products that have come from forests that are managed responsibly and fairly. See our page on “consumer power” for some steps that you can take to address this.

European logging companies continue to be significant players in the forestry sector around the world, operating a large number of logging concessions and processing plants. These companies must ensure that they operate to the highest social and environmental standards and use their influence to help establish a truly sustainable forestry sector.

For further details on the environmental, social and economic impacts of industrial logging, read our report “Concessions to Poverty”.



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  This page was last updated on the 2nd March 2009