U.S., Peru tighten stance against illegal timber trade

   At the conclusion of meetings last week in Lima, the United States and Peru agreed on a five-point action plan to support Peru’s forestry sector reform and further the South American country’s implementation of its obligations under the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA) Annex on Forest Sector Governance.
   This plan will deepen the two governments’ commitment to sustainable management of bigleaf mahogany and Spanish cedar, which are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
   Peru’s Vice Minister of Foreign Trade Carlos Posada said the action “will contribute to the legal trade in timber products under CITES.”
   The Annex on Forest Sector Governance, part of the Environment Chapter of the PTPA, reflects the commitment of both countries to take specific actions to enhance forest sector governance, promote legal trade in timber products, combat trade associated with illegal logging and illegal trade in wildlife, and further sustainable management of forest resources.