When A Tree Falls Illegally In The Forest

By Jonathan Lash on deforestation

Soon, everybody may hear. The world’s first ban on illegal wood imports could be a breakthrough on climate change.

One of the most interesting and overlooked environmental victories in 2008 came in the form of an amendment to a 100-year old U.S. statute. The Lacey Act, as it is known, has been a mainstay in fighting wildlife crime by banning the U.S. import of illegally sourced (according to laws in the country of origin) animal products. Lacey’s most recent amendment—passed on May 22nd, 2008—places a similar ban on plants, including trees, and lumber products such as paper, furniture and flooring. In other words, the updated Lacey Act is now a potent weapon in the fight to reduce illegal logging and global deforestation.