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