Sustaining forests, supporting forest-based value chains

In the framework of the Zero Deforestation Timber project under the AL-INVEST Verde programme, led by the International Tropical Timber Technical Association (ATIBT), community forest enterprises (ejidos) in Campeche and Quintana Roo are working to strengthen their participation in international value chains. These regions in southern Mexico possess rich forest resources managed under community-based systems, yet face challenges in reaching high-value export markets that require legal, traceable, and sustainable timber. This project aims to promote nearshoring transformation models and improve trade facilitation between local producers and European buyers, in line with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

Stichting Probos implements the project “Exploring current and potential revenue streams for forest managers in the tropics” on behalf of FSC Netherlands. The project examines the current and potential income sources of forest managers in tropical countries, focusing on timber, Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). The study includes a global literature review and a country analysis of Suriname, resulting in two reports and an infographic that present the key findings and recommendations for FSC Netherlands.

In addition to the FSC Continuous Improvement Procedure (CIP) pathway, which is currently being developed by Probos and ESS under the SUSTAME project, the FSC group structure (‘group certification’) could further lower the threshold for certification for forest communities. A skilled and qualified group manager could actively support communities and manage the certification on their behalf. A group certificate also offers cost advantages.

Probos Promotes Lesser-Known Timber Species from Cameroon

As part of the ASP Cameroon project, funded by the European Union and executed by the International Technical Tropical Timber Association (ATIBT), Probos is responsible for the action focused on promoting Lesser Known Timber Species (LKTS) from Cameroon.

Valorizing LKTS is important to (1) prevent overharvesting of commercial species that reduces their regeneration potential, (2) prevent significant changes to forest structure, (3) increase the resilience of sustainable forest operations by diversifying income streams, and (4) diversify product offerings in Europe.

With the world’s population expected to grow to around 10 billion by 2050 and global wealth increasing, pressure on land use is rising. Nearly half of the Earth's original forests have already disappeared, and only a small portion of the remaining forests are protected. Reforestation is crucial, but it does not compensate for the unique value that old and original forests represent. That is why Probos actively contributes to preventing deforestation, both in the Netherlands and in vulnerable forests worldwide. Increasing the value of forests reduces the risk of degradation and conversion to other land uses. It strengthens the business case for forests and sustainable forest management.

Businesses interested in sustainable tropical timber sourcing had the opportunity to explore timber species and meet key suppliers in Selva Maya, the second-largest tropical rainforest in the Americas. The event took place from November 17th – 23rd, 2024. The trade mission, organized by the Rainforest Alliance, FSC, and Probos, aimed to develop new market opportunities that promote forest conservation and strengthen the economic resilience of forest communities in Mexico and Guatemala.

Eli Prins, Mark van Benthem, november 2024

To incentivize Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and contribute to forest conservation, Probos and partners establish new value chains for conservation timber and ecosystem services, from source to market. This results in community development and verified sustainable timber products for cities and other partners.

Encourage and record sustainable procurement by timber traders.
To position timber as one of the solutions to help address climate change, and use the momentum to promote the use of timber, there should be no debate about sustainable sourcing. Progressive Timber Trade Federations (TTFs) in Europe should encourage their members only to trade timber harvested from certified sustainably managed forests. Furthermore, this supports their members to comply with legal requirements including the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

Probos supports and promotes sustainable forest management (SFM) worldwide. Under the Cities4Forest program (C4F), which ended March 2024, Probos and partners set up new value chains for ‘conservation timber’ supply to Dutch cities. This pioneering work signaled a great interest in The Netherlands and Europe for timber and timber products from sustainable community forest management operations. However, the supply of conservation timber on the European market remains limited. Therefore, a new project has been initiated together with our local partner in Suriname, ESS, to support the production and supply of conservation timber from Suriname.

Conservation timber in Rotterdam

Rotterdam's 'Beterbank' (‘Betterbench’) combines the city's sustainability ambitions with a beautiful design for a new city bench based on six different tropical wood species. Initially, 50 Beterbanken (Betterbenches) will be installed, spread across Rotterdam. The first bench was placed on March 27, 2024 near Westerkade 31.

The wood species on the Beterbank come from community forests in the tropics, in the case of Rotterdam from Bolivia and Guyana. In addition to being FSC certified, the wood comes from forests managed by local communities.

Cities4Forests Amsterdam and Rotterdam

Amsterdam and Rotterdam are two of six European cities that have been invited to engage in the Cities4Forests partnership to showcase community-forest enterprises and the conservation benefits of using sustainably sourced ‘conservation timber’ and the wood product that result from it. These high-visibility exchanges will promote consumer awareness, forest stewardship, and urban policies that exhibit leadership on climate and biodiversity. These local-to-local partnerships can demonstrate the power of “thinking globally, and acting locally.”

SURINAME CLIMATE SMART FORESTRY Program (CSF-P): a forest carbon project under the Verified Carbon Standard through reduced impact logging (RIL-C).

The aim of this study is to make further insightful the sustainability and legality of the import of tropical primary and secondary wood products by the EU27+UK. The seven main importing countries (Belgium, France, The Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Germany and Spain) together represent approximately 90% of the EU28 primary tropical timber product import. The concentration of imports in these seven countries provides a strong lever for change. A rapid shift towards sustainable timber could have wide-ranging consequences for the world’s tropical forests.

In 2018, Gabon’s president announced that all forest concessions in the country should be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standard by 2022. A challenging ambition. Since the announcement, the forest sector in Gabon has been strongly mobilised, aiming at gathering and sharing of knowledge and information on the various certification schemes for sustainable forest management.

To position timber as one of the solutions to help address climate change, and hence use the momentum to promote the use of timber, there should be no debate about responsible sourcing. For this reason, progressive Timber Trade Federations (TTFs) and other relevant organisations should encourage their members to trade timber harvested from responsibly managed forests. Sourcing from responsibly managed forests helps comply with legal requirements, like the EUTR (EU), Lacey Act (USA) and ILPA (Australia).

The EUTR came into effect in 2013, making it illegal to place timber on the EU market if it was illegal in country of harvest, and requiring companies to implement due diligence measures to reduce the risk of illegal timber entering the EU. The LIFE Legal Wood project aims to further strengthen implementation of the EUTR.

Chatham House has been working on forest governance, illegal logging and deforestation since 2000. Much of Chatham House work focuses on efforts to tackle the international trade in illegal timber. This includes the Indicators of Illegal Logging Project, which investigates the nature and extent of illegal logging and the associated trade in illegal timber, as well as the effectiveness of the response to this issue by both the government and the private sector.

Probos supports the Beijing Forestry Society in developing a practical Timber Procurement Policy (TPP) recommendation for the Authorities of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the 2019 International Horticulture Exposition.

Close to 94% of the land surface of Suriname is covered with forests. In only 5% of the forest, trees are harvested for commercial timber trade. Forest Management principles are based on the Celos Management System, developed in Suriname from the 1960s to 1980s. This allows an annual allowable cut of 25 m3 per ha on a 25 year cycle. In practice the average annual harvest is below 8 m3 per ha. One of the main reasons for this low figure is the heterogeneity of the forest and harvest concentration on about 20 timber species. To decrease the pressure on these, it is important to harvest a greater variety, and this is encouraged through certified sustainable forest management (SFM).

94% of the land surface of Suriname is covered with forests. The management principles under which they are managed are based on the Celos Management System that was developed from the ‘60’s up until the ‘80’s. Based on this system the yearly permitted harvest has been determined at 25m³ per ha in a cycle of  25 years. In practice the average yearly harvest lies below 8m³ per ha. One of the most important reasons for this low number is the heterogeneity of the forest and the focus on the harvest of approximately 20 tree species.