In 2018, members of the Tai Khamyang People of Assam, India started an ecological organization, the Chala Village Sanctuary Conservation Society, in order to protect the trees within the Chala Reserve Forest which were being decimated by illegal logging. The community depends on the Chala Reserve for their livelihood and sustenance, and because of local conservation efforts, “timber yielding plants such as the ajar and the burflower-tree have been brought back from near extinction.”[1]
Sadly, in other parts of Assam, protected forest areas are vulnerable to illegal logging by organized criminal networks, and the forests also face challenges due to the increasing number of development projects.[2]
Illegal logging is not an isolated issue. Illegal logging has far-reaching consequences that extend beyond the environment and, as highlighted in the example above, can hurt communities and their cultures. The livelihoods of indigenous people and species are threatened when their forests experience degradation from unlicensed and unsustainable logging operations. At the same time, poverty levels incentivize locals to prioritize the money brought in from timber harvesting over community led conservation efforts. Being a profitable industry, corruption permeates each part of the logging process, making reform difficult. Illegal logging remains a significant problem, where the impact of it can be felt by high forest degradation levels, declining environmental health, the negative impacts on indigenous communities, and increasing rates of corruption and violence.[3]
Levels of forest loss from logging range from degradation to deforestation. Degradation is a reduction in tree cover, while deforestation refers to a complete erasure of an area’s forest. Degradation and deforestation have a variety of causes. Illegal logging is one of these causes. Illegal logging includes any instance in which trees are felled (cut down and harvested), without regard for national and international regulations. Timber trafficking occurs when wood which was illegally obtained is moved from one area to another or sold from the domestic to international market, often by converting permits, making the timber appear to be legally sourced. Some also define this process as laundering, as the origins of the timber or amounts collected are forged.
This report gives an overview of the damages brought about by illegal logging. From the local to the international level, the efficacy of conservation programs against illegal logging operations have proven to be insufficient. Investigating the state of timber trafficking processes in Cameroon, Romania, Indonesia, Ecuador, and Honduras, indicators of the gravity of the situation include the impact on indigenous forest communities, animal and tree population health, and the frequency and severity of punishment for unsustainable logging. The accountability provided by conservation initiatives and governments makes a significant difference for each of these factors. Finally, the reader should be aware that while this report will focus on illegal actions that destroy forest areas and trees, specifically connections between illegal logging, timber trafficking, and other illicit activities, the Foundation acknowledges that climate change is also a contributing factor to forest cover loss, therefore any actions taken to combat illegal logging should incorporate methods to empower local communities to also address climate chaos and other related concerns.
