Consumer demand for rosewood furniture and musical instruments is driving illegal logging in Madagascar’s national parks, endangering wildlife and undermining local community livelihoods, according to a new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and Global Witness.
The report, based on more than a year of investigations, shows that Madagascar’s valuable hardwoods—including ebony, pallisander, and rosewood—are being illegally harvested from rainforest parks and trafficked to Asia, Europe, and the United States. The vast majority of timber—98 percent—however ends up in China, where it is converted into luxury furniture.
“In China, Malagasy rosewood beds sell for a million dollars apiece, yet less than 0.1% of the profits remain with local people,” said Alexander von Bismarck of EIA, in a statement. “I don’t think the buyers of these beds would sleep well at night if they knew the full story behind their beds.”
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Von Bismarck added that the investigations found Chinese traders were often aware that the wood they bought was illegal.
Trade in rosewood has been banned since March 2010 when the “transition authority” — the group that seized control of the country in March 2009 — established a moratorium on the logging and trade of precious hardwoods in response to international outcry. Nevertheless recent reports indicate logging continues in Masoala and Makira, rainforest areas recognized as a Global World Heritage Site.
The chart shows the indicative price for the rosewood used in a $60,000 rosewood cabinet in Shanghai, at different points in the supply chain. Image courtesy of EIA/GW.
In its report, EIA and Global Witness say there are encouraging signs that the transition government is taking measures to stem the trade, but argue that governments of consuming countries need to do more to control imports of illegal timber. The report points last year’s raid of Gibson Guitar by U.S. authorities under the Lacey Act as an important example of intervention in the illicit timber market.
 Investigation Into the Global Trade in Malagasy Precious Woods: Rosewood, Ebony and Pallisander |
“We welcome the latest indications from the Madagascan government,” said Reiner Tegtmeyer of Global Witness, “However, past experience has shown that such measures are often undermined by special exemptions and
weak implementation. To plug the gaps, governments of all timber-consuming countries must follow the example of the US and crack down on import of illegal timber.”
“China’s response to these findings will be critical for Madagascar’s biodiversity. China has a great opportunity to help put an end to illegal timber trade and protect biodiversity,” added von Bismarck.
Rosewood logging erupted in the aftermath of the 2009 coup. Tens of thousands of hectares were affected, including some of the island’s most biologically diverse national parks: Marojejy, Masoala, and Makira. Illegal logging spurred the rise of a commercial bushmeat trade. Hunters slaughtered rare and gentle lemurs for restaurants. Timber trafficking, which involved armed gangs marauding through national parks, also hurt tourism, a critical source of direct and indirect income for many local communities. Rosewood traders intimidated and, in some cases, attacked those who attempted to stop the plunder.
Investigation Into the Global Trade in Malagasy Precious Woods: Rosewood, Ebony and Pallisander
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