Trade body criticises WWF's timber claims

The Timber Trade Federation has slammed the WWF's "cavalier approach" to the issue of illegal timber.
According to the WWF, the UK spends approximately £172m a year on illegal wood, with only China and Japan importing more. The organisation claims that the amount spent equates to 3.2 million m3 a year, of which more than 65% goes to the construction sector.

John White, chief executive at the Timber Trade Federation, said: "It is disappointing that the WWF has taken such a cavalier approach to such a serious issue. We support the organisation's desire to ban illegal timber, but the foundation on which it has based its statistics is plain wrong."

White believes the WWF makes sweeping assumptions regarding the legality of timber, often on minor technical issues that do not necessarily make the timber illegal.

"The study is well meaning, but the evidence behind it is flawed. We estimate that 9% of timber entering the UK is illegal. Obviously, this is still too much and we are working individually and collectively to address this problem," he said.

Beatrix Richards, head of WWF's forests programme, conceded: "Progressive companies within the timber industry have actually set a better example through some of the voluntary initiatives they have underway. However, only through new legislation will we force the changes that are necessary across both government and the industry to tackle the illegal and unsustain-able trade."

[Contract Journal, 7th Feburary 2007, p15]