LAW COMPLIANCE IN THE FORESTRY SECTOR AN OVERVIEW

Abstract

The problem of illegal logging and forest crimes is global and serious. Reliable statistics are scarce, but as much as 15 percent of global timber trade is estimated to involve illegalities and corrupt practices. Illegal logging in public lands worldwide is estimated to cause annual losses in assets and revenue in excess of US$10 billion. In addition to the loss of revenue to governments and inefficiency of resource use, illegal logging directly threatens ecosystems and biodiversity in protected areas and parks across the world. This paper looks at available evidence on the magnitude and impacts of illegal logging, the vulnerabilities of the forest sector, and proposes a strategy for combating forest crime. This strategy involves: (i) an assessment of the governance situation of the country, (ii) streamlining the forest policy framework, and (iii) focusing operational activities for forest law enforcement around a prevention, detection and suppression framework.