The possession of illegal timber a criminal offence

[PAC1]

I do not say this as a political statement it is merely reporting a fact. The new Government intend to take:

Measures to make the import or possession of illegal timber a criminal offence.

Something to watch out for.

 

[Digit]

How would I or, or the Gestapo, know?
Does possession include reclaimed I wonder? Does it include furniture?
I sense another field day for the legal eagles.

Roy.

 

[lurker]

Assuming "they" bother its going to be a bit like ivory innit

Its not actually illegal to have it so long as you know its old -or pre-ban.

Sounds sensible to me so long as they stick to the big offenders & not the accidental ones.

Yeh yeh - I know the record is not very good in that respect.

 

[Digit]

I don't know about you lurker but my silly sense of humour kicks in here.
'It's Antipodean Pink Oak, me Lord!'
'Oh no it isn't!'
'Oh yes it is!'
I wish 'em the best of luck!

Roy.

 

[yetloh]

I'm with Lurker on this. These laws are not aimed at the small end user but the business criminals who make fortunes out of the environmental destruction which certainly threatens future generations if not our own. It is inconceivable that the DPP would consider it to be in the public interest to prosecute an amateur woodworker even if any law enforcement agency thought it right to spend time gathering the necessary evidence.

Jim

 

[woodsworth]

Is this similar to the Lacey act in the usa?

You have to know and have documentation of the chain of delivery right to the source of it's harvesting to prevent supporting illegal harvesting in other countries.

I think it is a good idea if it actually works but we all know that for the right price documents can be forged in countries where their officials can be bribed.

Some people don't care if the wood they used came from a source that displaced indigenous peoples, destroyed an eco system, killed thousands of animals etc.. etc.. Others do.

 

[Digit]

It is inconceivable that the DPP would consider it to be in the public interest to prosecute an amateur woodworker even if any law enforcement agency thought it right to spend time gathering the necessary evidence.

Seems logical, but then I was threatened with prosecution for the use of 'illegal' 13 Amp plugs. Made by MK and kite marked mind you.
The small prey is easier!

Roy.

 

[Ironballs]

Given that the UK is the second biggest importer of mahogany outside the USA I think this sounds like a good idea. Maybe they should widen it to possession of biodiesel or south american beef as well though :wink:

 

[Digit]

We who use timber must have a responsibility towards its conservation, and thus I cannot dispute the rightness of the law, I watch its implementation with interest.

Roy.

 

[Chems]

I think with the massively failing economic system and the country wide riots we are bound to suffer when the cuts kick in, illegal wood is going to be low down the list. Blair promised loads of things that never happened, not to mention 50% of the forum will have expired and I'll have retired by the time its bought into effect.

 

[dibs]

I would think that we, on this forum, buy our stock from (reputable) yards, not from some shady bloke on a dimly lit backstreet. Recycling of wood not included. If this helps combat illegal logging, then I'm all for it. Anyway, who would police it? Rick.

 

[Benchwayze]

I don't see how this can work at consumer level. At the dockside yes, where the enforcement teams are already in place; the people who control the import of illegal foodstuffs, and animals etc. They do a pretty good job too.

I think I'll start training 'wood-sniffer' dogs for a living! :wink:

Good piece of legislation I think, provided they don't target the easy prey like us amateurs and small-businesses. Although, there are more important issues, as has been pointed out. (I'll train riot dogs too!) 8)


John

 

[PAC1]

Chems. I saw the commitment in the seven page pre nuptual agreement between Nick & Dave so it survived the 'your having a laugh' edit.

 

[wobblycogs]

It survived the "having a laugh" edit because it's inclusion hurts neither party - they both want to be seen to be friendly to the environment. What would surprise me is if either of them actually bothered to do anything about it. At the end of the day they win brownie points for saying they will do something about the problem but actually doing something is likely to lose as many friends as it wins them (I'm sure the police and customs people don't want additional work when there's no additional staff).

 

[jimi43]

I don't see how this can work at consumer level. At the dockside yes, where the enforcement teams are already in place; the people who control the import of illegal foodstuffs, and animals etc. They do a pretty good job too.

I think I'll start training 'wood-sniffer' dogs for a living! :wink:

Good piece of legislation I think, provided they don't target the easy prey like us amateurs and small-businesses. Although, there are more important issues, as has been pointed out. (I'll train riot dogs too!) 8)


John

Can I rent my dog out?

He sniffs trees - already pre-trained...they have to be pre-treated though!



Jim

 

[Tim Nott]

What IS illegal timber?

 

[Digit]

I assume that would apply to anything on the CITES list, possibly plus others that might be considered endangered here.
The list is a bit of a joke anyway.

Roy.

 

[nanscombe]

I doubt it'll be anything as crude as a sniffer dog.

They'll have the expertise of the botanists at Kew Gardens to call on.

In fact, they already do as I remember seeing a clip of Kew Gardens, on one of the BBC programmes, identifying imported blinds as being made of Ramin.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, were appointed as the UK CITES Scientific Authority for Plants in 1976.

 

[big soft moose]

I doubt it'll be anything as crude as a sniffer dog.

They'll have the expertise of the botanists at Kew Gardens to call on.

In fact, they already do as I remember seeing a clip of Kew Gardens, on one of the BBC programmes, identifying imported blinds as being made of Ramin.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, were appointed as the UK CITES Scientific Authority for Plants in 1976.

and kew have a very nice badger watchingplatform in their nature area that my mate si built out of confiscated cites timber

 

[nanscombe]

... and kew have a very nice badger watchingplatform in their nature area that my mate si built out of confiscated cites timber

Really :shock: That's brilliant.

I wonder if it's that one near Queen Charlotte's Cottage? Where you walk off the track, up a path and look out through windows in the timber walls (not describing it well I'm afraid).

I love Kew Gardens. As I'm a member, I try and visit it quite often.