The Role of CITES in Controlling Illegal Logging

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has some limited ability to assist range states (countries where species occur) to tackle illegal trade. This study reviews the relevant provisions of the Convention and examines experiences of how CITES has been used to address the problem of illegal logging for several CITES-listed tree species. It provides examples of species from each of the Convention's three appendices: Alerce Fitzroya cupressoides (Appendix I—species imminently threatened with biological extinction), Agarwood Aquilaria malaccensis (Appendix II—species not currently threatened but may become so if trade is not regulated), Big-leaf Mahogany Swietenia macrophylla (listed in Appendix III from November 1995; included in Appendix II effective 15 November 2003), and Ramin Gonystylus spp. (Appendix III—species listed by an individual State in an effort to enlist international cooperation to control trade from their country). Publication of the study should be completed by early 2007.