Timber listed by CITES

[JFC]

As i understand it timber listed by CITES is on the endangered list and is very hard to come by and at a massive cost as they want to know every detail from shipping to what its going to be used for . Am i right in what im thinking ?
Afrimosia is on the list as is Mahogany proper (Brazilian)
Any thoughts or opinions ?

 

[Anonymous]

If its Mahogany that your after, you may have a long hard search ahead of you, CITES basically stops the trading of tropical rare species, however there is plantation Mahogany, in other words managed mahogany outside the tropics, but I don't know anyone who keeps it in stock. But might be worth seeing if anyone could order it in.

 

[Nick W]

I thought Boddy's were starting to do certified Mahogany.

 

[JFC]

Im not after a certain timber . I just thought it was a good subject and maybe a source for alternative timber to those listed.

 

[MilkyBarKid]

I was under the impression that the CITES II listing for real mahogany - swietiana macrophyllia (sp?) only places a burden on the importer to ensure that the wood is legally exported, as far as I know it is designed to halt the flow of illegally felled timber, not that of legally felled timber. It doesn't ban the import of the timber.
MBK

 

[Anonymous]

Hi MBK, your probably right, all my info is just what I pick up from word of mouth and most people I know, especially reps generally talk rubbish. :lol:

 

[JFC]

All my info is also word of mouth and a few timber yards that have looked into timbers for me have said "don't bother it will cost a fortune " .
So i guess that the importers add massive increases to the price as they cant just get on with the job ?

 

[MilkyBarKid]

Oops that should have read CITES III rather than II. CITES III is less onerous than II. The way greenpeace talk about it you'd think it was illegal to use mahogany. Lets face it as amateur woodworkers we will be only be using tiny amounts of the stuff.
MBK

 

[RogerS]

Jason...you can always grow your own :wink:

 

[JFC]

We may only want to use small amounts but the loggers don't go and get you a bit when you need it they clear massive amounts of forest .
There was a story in the papers a little while ago about a well known supermarket chain importing illegally logged garden furniture . From what i understand the Malaysian Government where building roads to get out farmers produce and the illegal loggers where clearing 1/2 a mile each side of the road . They sell the timber to China and China was exporting it to the UK . There is also a massive stock of Chinese marine ply made from illegally logged timber that cant be sold as its not up to BS and is not from a substanible source .
I think i have my facts right but i could be wrong .

 

[Woodcrafts]

A number of companies are selling various 'mahoganies'. I have just completed a commission where one of the requirements of the customer was that all materials should be from environmentally sustainable sources.

John Boddy (www.john-boddy-timber.ltd.uk) were able to supply me with true mahogany (swietania macrophylla) with full FSC certification, from Central America. They also list plantation grown mahogany (again swietania macrophylla) from, I believe, Fiji.

Yes, it was more expensive than some of the timber I usually buy but certainly not massively more so.

 

[Colin C]

Woodcraft

Thanks and welcome to the forum