Illegal Logging in the Tropics

Illegal logging is a policy problem that has arisen from the failure of protected area and sustainable forestry remedies for deforestation. Nevertheless, illegal logging in some parts of the world is a centuries-old problem rooted in social conflicts over access to forest resources. We synthesize the papers in this volume, which analyze illegal logging issues in a variety of countries-Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Cameroon, Bénin, and Mexico—and from a variety of analytical perspectives—anthropologic, economic, political science, legal, and conservationist. We describe illegal logging activities and analyze the roles of key stakeholders such as governments, the private sector, local communities, and non-governmental organizations. We summarize the major policy recommendations presented by the authors in this volume, which include: broad anti-corruption initiatives beyond the forest sector, information-based approaches, conventional regulation and enforcement, and market mechanisms. Illegal logging is complex. It involves broad networks of power and influence that operate across many geographic, socio-political and economic contexts. It is not simply a question of poor villagers with chainsaws. Effective interventions must identify the key players and their supporting networks of racketeers and timber launderers and give prosecutors the wherewithal to overcome their ability to manipulate political connections to evade conviction.