Market signals of unsustainable and inequitable forest extraction: Assessing the value of illegal timber trade in the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania

Marije Schaafsma, Neil D. Burgess, Ruth D. Swetnam, Yonika M. Ngaga, R. Kerry Turner, Thorsten Treue

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Natural forests and woodlands of the Eastern Arc Mountains (EAM) in Tanzania are under threat from deforestation and degradation. The estimated annual revenues from EAM hardwood for domestic use are USD 10. million in terms of planks, and twice as much when processed into furniture. Timber profits are largely captured by people whose livelihoods do not directly depend on other EAM ecosystem services. Market data, such as declining plank sizes and shifts to low-quality timber species, contain possible early warning signals of unsustainable hardwood harvesting. Policy recommendations include simplifying regulations for legal trade, developing sustainable financing, and increasing softwood supply.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)155-168
Number of pages14
JournalWorld Development
Volume62
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014

Funding

This work is part of the wider Valuing the Arc program ( www.valuingthearc.org ), supported by the Leverhulme Trust (UK) and Packard Foundation (USA). Additional funding was provided by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (DANIDA) through its performance contract with the University of Copenhagen. The authors wish to honor the memory of Stephen Ngowi, a cherished friend and colleague, who participated in the field work but sadly and unexpectedly passed away on January 13, 2013.

Keywords

  • Africa
  • Forest ecosystem services
  • Sustainable harvesting
  • Tanzania
  • Timber
  • Value-chain analysis

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