CITES, CEDAR AND MAHOGANY IN PERU

UNCLAS LIMA 001878 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS USEU FOR DCM MCKINLEY DEPT FOR WHA/AND, EPSC AND OES/ETC,ENV USTR FOR LINSCOTT AND BURR BRASILIA FOR ESTH HUB - J STORY USAID FOR LAC, EGAT, J.Kunen USDA FOR /AS/FAA/BAILEY,/FAS/ITP/FSTSD/BREHM,/FS/MAYHE W,DROTH INTERIOR FOR USFWS/GABRIEL,ST.JOHN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAGR SENV ETRD EAID PE SUBJECT: CITES, CEDAR AND MAHOGANY IN PERU REF: (A) STATE 51890 (B) Lima 1451 and previous ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Both of Peru's CITES management and scientific authorities for plant species concur that cedrela (cedar) species should remain on CITES Appendix III, allowing the GOP to manage trade without required export permits. Management authority INRENA does track cedrela as it is logged. Scientific Authority UNALM concurs but would like to see better management of cedrela species and a comprehensive inventory conducted. Experts concur that cedar in Peru has been inadequately studied. There is a strong domestic market (unlike mahogany) as well as export market for Spanish Cedar and other cedar species in Peru. UNALM cannot easily integrate ongoing mahogany surveys to include cedar, as they are not found in the same areas. A Cedar inventory would be a good project for the U.S./Peru Environmental Cooperation Agreement. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) This cable responds to Ref A request for information on GOP views on Germany's proposal to include cedrela (deciduous cedar) species on Appendix II of CITES. Although Ref A asked for the views of host country scientific authority, after email exchange with U.S. scientific/management authority Fish and Wildlife Service (USF&WS), ESTHoff met with Peru's separate management and scientific authorities and solicited opinion from NGOs involved in forestry issues. The scientific authority representative was Dr. Ignacio Lombardi of the National Agrarian University (UNALM). For the management Authority, Natural Resources Institute (INRENA) Director Ignacio Angeles provided oral and written answers. (Note: mahogany in this cable refers to broad-leaf mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla; positions by INRENA or UNALM refer to communications from Angeles or Lombardi. End Note.) CONSERVATION STATUS OF CEDRELA SPECIES -------------- ¶3. (U) Both INRENA and UNALM agreed that cedar species have been inadequately studied in Peru. Mahogany has been studied much more. Among the cedar species, Spanish Cedar (Cedrela odorata) has been studied the most. INRENA and UNALM do not have any scientific studies or population inventories for the cedrela species, and in fact any sort of information is scarce. UNALM notes that anecdotal field studies have noted that mahogany and cedrela species are not found near each other, and so current mahogany inventory efforts are not able to simultaneously note cedrela populations with any accuracy. ¶4. (U) UNALM confirms five known genus cedrela species occurring in Peru, with the possibility that others exist (Peruvian Spanish language common names in parentheses): - C. fissilis Vell. (Cedro el bajo, cedro de agua, cedro); - C. odorata (cedro); - C. lilloi Hars (cedro de altura, atoc cedro) - C montana Moritz ex Turczaninnov (cedro de altura, cedro) (UNALM agrees with Reynel 2006 publication that population is probably threatened) - C. Weberbaueri Hams (cedro) (UNALM agrees with Reynel 2006 publication that population is probably very threatened) ¶5. (U) INRENA explains that exports of C. odorata increased from 2004 to 2006, probably due to "restrictions" in mahogany exports connected with the mahogany CITES Appendix II listing. As a result of the World Conservation Union's (IUCN) listing of C. odorata as a vulnerable species, the GOP also classified it as a vulnerable species for which INRENA should pay special attention, in Supreme (Presidential) Decree 043-2006-AG, in 2006, following also Peru's voluntary inclusion of C. odorata in CITES Appendix III in 2001. HARVEST/INTERNATIONAL TRADE IMPACTS -------------- ¶6. (U) C. odorata is the species most impacted by harvest and international trade, because in part of the preference by Peruvian consumers and wood workers for it that has generated a substantial (and untracked) domestic market. The similarity of the cedrela species makes them somewhat interchangeable in domestic and international markets. Quotas in mahogany export (GOP actions in response to the Appendix II listing and concerns over mahogany populations) have led to increased C. odorata exports. Harvest is generally of wild trees, with virtually no cedar plantations. ¶7. (SBU) INRENA said that concerns over cedrela species have lead inclusion of cedrela species in the general forest management system. The 2000 General Forestry law sets out requirements for forest management plans for concessionaires and native populations; verifications of inventories of cedrela species occur (or are supposed to) alongside mahogany before and after timber harvests. ¶8. (U) INRENA notes that listings of cedrela found and taken are contained in the records for the 624,251 hectares to date of voluntary forest certification. (Note: using Forest Stewardship Council processes, supported in Peru by World Wildlife Fund and USAID programs. End Note.)(Note: this leaves, however, many thousands of hectares that are not part of certification programs for which there is no reliable information on cedrela harvests. End Note.) UNALM notes that verifications of non-certified concessions are frequently not done on time (that is, starting before harvest to get an accurate population count) and that INRENA has not sufficiently shared results of verifications with UNALM. VOLUMES EXPORTED FROM PERU -------------- ¶9. (U) INRENA's figures for cedrela species' exports from 2002 - 2006 state 131,900.52 cubic meters (m3),equivalent to approximately 18,843 trees, using the formula seven m3 per tree. By year: 2000 5550.18 2001 2988.82 2002 8760.96 2003 11,588.04 2004 29,390.88 2005 29,163.48 2006 36,538.47 UNALM notes the general trend of increase as worrisome. ¶10. (U) (Note: Several factors make precision difficult. A number of woods are commonly called cedar (cedro in Spanish),including species that are not cedrela but are similar from the point of view of woodworkers. The other similar species are hard to distinguish from cedrela species. Export authorities (GOP customs agents) have little training in distinguishing tree species and it is commonly thought by GOP and NGO observers that export allocations by species are not accurate. Finally, while INRENA lists species through its forest management system, the GOP customs agency SUNAT does not appear to publish systematic exports of wood by species, aside from mahogany for which there are international obligations through CITES to track.) PARTS/PRODUCTS EXPORTED FROM PERU -------------- ¶11. (U) Peru's Appendix II listing includes logs, lumber and laminates. Export permits are given for lumber and laminates; export of trees or logs are not permitted. The vast majority of cedrela exports are lumber. PERU OPPOSES CEDRELA IN APPENDIX II -------------- ¶12. (SBU) Management Authority (INRENA) chief Roberto Angeles said that Peru's position is to maintain cedrela species on Appendix III, opposing the proposal to move cedrela to Appendix II. The GOP would like to continue to manage the cedrela without additional external requirements. UNALM's Lombardi concurred, although he said that he would like to see more tracking of internal trade in cedar species as well as a comprehensive inventory. Neither thought that an annotation should involve only certain parts or products. INRENA noted that in general Peru is in the midst of many measures to assure sustainable forest management, in particular voluntary forest certification and measures against illegal logging. Cedrela species are an integral part of forest management initiatives. ¶13. (U) ESTHoff is emailing primary documents from scientific and management authorities to U.S. scientific/management authority (USF&WS),and will email NGO information as received. For further information contact Hal Howard, howardhh@state.gov. COMMENT -------------- ¶14. (SBU) Both UNALM and INRENA (as well as other GOP and NGO observers) noted that part of the problem with the illegal logging that threatens cedrela as well as mahogany is the prevalence of exporting only raw products, mainly lumber. Helping to develop a furniture export industry in Peru would be one way to involve more Peruvians in the market chain for cedrela, as well as decrease the anonymity and difficulty in assuring a chain of custody with lumber. In any event, Post is well aware that forestry conservation and sustainable development for residents of the forests will need to include cedrela species as well as mahogany, and we take this into account when cooperating with Peru using USAID, USDA and other mission programs. If funds are appropriated for a work plan associated with the Peru/U.S. Environmental Cooperation Agreement, cedrela could be included in forestry programs. STRUBLE