Sir, - It has come to my attention that moves to have Brazilian mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) listed as an endangered species could be law by September 1997. A joint proposal, now being prepared by the US and Bolivia, states that the present, rate of logging far exceeds the rate of regeneration.
This statement appears to back up what forest/wood campaigning NGOs have been stating for years - uncontrolled commercial logging must stop. In July 1996 the President of Brazil, Fernando Henique Cardoso, issued a presidential decree calling for a two year moratorium on new mahogany logging in the Amazon. Brazil's National Space Research Institute was about to release data showing that deforestation rates had been increasing since 1991 - and not decreasing, as the Government had maintained.
If the US/Bolivia proposal is adopted, exporting countries will be obliged to ensure that mahogany is obtained legally and logged according to strict principles of sound forest management (SFM) - on the lines of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). A vote on the future of Brazilian mahogany will be taken at the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES to be held in Zimbabwe, June 9th to 20th. "Mongolia's accession to the Convention on International Trade in "Endangered Species of wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), in April, 1996, now brings the total number of parties (governments) to the convention to 132.
Yet again, as Ireland never ratified the convention, this country will not be represented. Ireland is still the only country in the EU that has not ratified CITES. Minister Michael D. Higgins (whose department has responsibility for implementing CITES) may very well argue that we will be represented under the EU delegation. However, is it not way beyond time that Ireland (the "Celtic Tiger") ratified CITES and support the Brazilian Government's moratorium by banning the importation of Brazilian mahogany? - Yours, etc.,
Irish Woodworkers, for Africa,
Arden Vale,
Tullamore, Co Offaly.