DOMINICAN REPUBLIC'S VIEW ON TREE SPECIES PROPOSAL

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001069 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES/ETC DANIEL BALZER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV ETRD KSCA EUN DR SUBJECT: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC'S VIEW ON TREE SPECIES PROPOSAL FOR THE UPCOMING CITES CONFERENCE REF: 07 STATE 51890 ¶1. Summary. Per reftel, emboff met with officials from the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources SIPDIS (SEMARENA) to discuss the upcoming CITES conference and the status of conservation of and trade in all species of the genus Cedrela. The species Dalbergia Retusa and Dalbergia Stevensonii do not exist in the Dominican Republic. According to the Director of Reforestation, Cedrela timber is not exported. Logging of Cedrela timber, however, is not subject to commercial restrictions. SEMARENA officials unofficially stated that the Dominican Republic would most likely support the proposal to list the Cedrela species in Appendix II. End Summary. ¶2. The Dominican Republic's Cedrela species is limited to the Cedrela Odorata. It is found in the central region, including the provinces of Monsenor Nouel, La Vega, Salcedo, and Moca, and in the southwest region, including the provinces of San Juan, Elias Pina, and Barahona. Due to the small Cedrela population, the Secretariat of Environment is promoting new Cedrela plantings. SEMARENA provides seedlings for free to those interested as well as technical assistance on propagation techniques. Although there are no commercial restrictions regarding Cedrela timber, SEMARENA is in the process of developing management controls to monitor the trade of Cedrela timber. ¶3. The Dominican Republic does not export Cedrela timber, but imports it from Colombia and Peru. Total Cedrela imports for January-April 2007 were 34.9 cubic meters. ¶4. The Director of Reforestation told emboff unofficially that the Dominican Republic will most likely support the proposal to list the Cedrela species in Appendix II. The official, who requests not to be identified, could not comment on the other species because they do not exist in the Dominican Republic. ¶5. The Dominican Republic will be represented at the Conference of the Parties by the Secretary of Environment, Max Puig, Assistant Secretary of Protected Areas and Biodiversity (CITES point of contact) Daneris Santana, and the Director of Biodiversity (CITES Technical Officer) Amarilis Polonia. ¶6. This report and extensive other material can be consulted on our SIPRNET site, http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/ BULLEN