World Forest ID

Collections manager Alfredo Rodriguez Zunino was at last week’s Rainforest Alliance #SelvaMaya Tropical Timber Trade Mission, talking to retailers, traders, and other actors in the forest value chain about how traceability can safeguard tropical timber supply chains. Spanning Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, the Selva Maya is Mesoamerica’s largest rainforest. While certified community management schemes and concessions have reduced illegal deforestation in the region, risks persist for international buyers as timber from high-risk sources often transits through these countries. In Mexico, for example, only a third of timber used in domestic and export products is locally sourced, with remaining demand met by imports from Peru, and several African nations where illegal logging is well documented, as well as China. Limited traceability poses challenges for buyers in ensuring compliance with regulations like the US Lacey Act. Through our Alliance for Wood ID Testing, co-hosted with WWF, we’re working with companies to verify the origins of the timber in their supply chains across three pilot projects. By supporting transparent sourcing, we’re helping companies to safeguard the integrity of timber markets. Interested companies should contact jason.grant@wwfus.org and jade.saunders@worldforestid.org. #Tropicaltimber #Traceability #Timbertrade Photos thanks to Mark van Benthem and Luiza Lucena.

Excited to share a unique opportunity through our partnership with ECOCOA, whose fully traceable "bean-to-bar" model allows us to analyze chocolate at every stage of processing—from the raw cocoa beans to the final product, including derivatives like cocoa butter along the way. With support from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Meise Botanic Garden, we’re researching how chemical fingerprints evolve throughout their processing journey, from Cameroonian farms to the delicious bars crafted in ECOCOA’s Belgian factory. Thank you to Julien Philippart and Niels Vanhoudt of Eticwood® and Nadège (pictured), who have helped us with the collections process, and a special shoutout to our Director of Science, Dr. Victor Deklerck, who has especially enjoyed ‘sampling’ the chocolate. Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/g52sF8jD #Cocoa #Traceability #Beantobar

We believe collaboration is the key to creating meaningful impact, so we’re thrilled to see our partnership with Virginia Tech Innovation Campus, University of Washington, and Simeone Consulting, LLC in today’s The Washington Post. Supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), our joint projects have brought together data scientists, analytical chemists, geospatial experts, and trade specialists to advance machine learning techniques for modeling the chemical fingerprints of reference samples, and to verify harvest origins for illicitly traded products. In this way we can tackle nature crime and clean up supply chains. The sophisticated techniques we have developed together make our “origin models” more scalable and cost-effective, allowing us to serve a broader range of end users—from responsible companies to governments working to prevent illegal trade. Working with dedicated partners like Dr. Naren Ramakrishnan and John Simeone has been a pleasure. Special thanks to Naren for hosting our team—including Director of Research Marigold Norman, Director of Science Dr. Victor Deklerck, and Data Analyst Dr. Thomas Mortier—during our visit to Virginia Tech earlier this year (pictured). #Collaboration #MachineLearning #Traceability

Tackling supply chain opacity is crucial to combating deforestation, and it's encouraging to see financial institutions like Lombard Odier Group recognize and support this mission. Video featuring Dr Victor Deklerck, Dr Jakub Truszkowski, Dr Thomas Mortier, and Jade Saunders from World Forest ID, Professor Andrew Lowe and Dr Tony Hall from University of Adelaide, Dr Peter Gasson and Dr Cady Lancaster from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and footage from the Environmental Investigation Agency.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has recently updated the Federal Register with key clarifications regarding implementation of Lacey Act provisions, including the addition of three previously omitted furniture Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes—set to begin implementation after six months. Meanwhile, starting December 1, 2024, Phase VII of the enforcement schedule will require importers to complete a Lacey Act Import Declaration for a range of new HTS codes. These include HS 4412 (plywood), HS 4413 (densified wood), and numerous wooden furniture products under Chapter 94 which haven’t previously needed an Import Declaration. For companies in the timber industry, this change brings fresh challenges in terms of traceability and scientific scrutiny. Accurate declarations and compliance are essential, especially for processed wood products, where the need for robust scientific tools to verify harvest claims have never been more crucial. With funding from APHIS, World Forest ID is collaborating with industry leaders to pilot the use of scientific testing techniques and scrutinize location of harvest claims for processed wood products. This initiative is intended to directly support companies by encouraging the use of science-based traceability tools, enabling them to demonstrate compliance with confidence. We welcome interest from companies looking to learn more about this work! #SustainableForestry #LaceyAct #Traceability #TimberIndustry https://lnkd.in/eP4ijMuF

This week, Dr. Victor Deklerck (World Forest ID) and Dr. Tony Hall (University of Adelaide) led training at Indonesia’s Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional RI (BRIN RI), in their newly installed Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) laboratory. The IRMS represents a significant advancement for Indonesia’s timber testing capabilities, supporting verification of location of harvest through the analysis of stable isotope ratios, which vary depending on where a tree grew. Throughout the week, Victor and Tony trained colleagues from IPB University and Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional RI (BRIN RI) on sample preparation and non-proprietary stable isotope ratio measurement protocols, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to maximize the machine’s potential. This initiative, funded by a Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation grant to the World Resources Institute, aims to increase transparency in timber supply chains and combat illegal logging, contributing to the preservation of Indonesia’s forests. A heartfelt thank you to Prof. Dr. Iskandar Z Siregar, Prof. Dr. Lina Karlinasari, Dr. Fifi Gus Dwiyanti, Dr. Rasi Prasetio and colleagues for hosting World Forest ID, and to Tina Schneider and Sophie Labaste from World Resources Institute for coordinating from afar! #ForestConservation #GlobalForests #EnvironmentalScience #SIRA Dr. Irsan Alipraja, Dr. Ruliyana Susanti, Bening Farawan, Else Mei Wike Andreas, Susi Riyanti, Tika Anggraeni, Dessy R, Esti Prihartini, Ainun Fadilah, Karima Fauziah Muharam, Dhio Teguh Ferdyan and Hidayah Hamzah

We are thrilled to announce that Alicia S. has joined the World Forest ID board! Alicia is passionate about harnessing new technologies to address global challenges, with over 15 years of experience in program and product management, focused on designing and leading tech initiatives for environmental and social good. She has a particular interest in forests, shaped by her forestry background and her role in the Forest Data Partnership, which enhances global monitoring of commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation, while promoting cross-sector collaboration among its founding partners: Google, World Resources Institute, USAID, SERVIR Global, FAO, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Unilever, and the U.S. Department of State. As Product Manager for Google Earth Engine's Sustainability Solutions, Alicia leads the development of innovative geospatial tools that empower organizations to monitor and manage environmental changes. With her extensive expertise in mapping, climate science, and resource management—gained through previous roles at Weyerhaeuser and Microsoft—she is a driving force in the intersection of technology and sustainability. We’re excited to draw on Alicia's wealth of knowledge as we continue to scale and advance our mission of creating transparent, sustainable global supply chains using public-good science. Welcome aboard! #SustainabilityChampion #TechForGood #GreenInnovation #GIS

Help us welcome Laura Van Arsdel, who’s joining our team today as MEL, Fundraising, and Grant Management Intern! In this role, generously supported by the Mulago Foundation, Laura will provide essential support in managing budgets and documents, overseeing donor reporting, and advancing our MEL framework and fundraising strategy. Originally from the US, Laura worked in fundraising and project management in the NGO sector and supported research at University of Washington before moving to the UK. She holds degrees from both sides of the Atlantic with a dual MA/MSc in International and World History from Columbia University and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). We’re thrilled to have her on board and want to extend our gratitude to the 380 other talented candidates who applied for this position. #MEL #GrantManagement #Fundraising #Dreamteam #Growing

Take a closer look at our collections process with new footage from UNODC… Last year, a dedicated team, led by experienced collector Arthur La Rosa Sánchez Navarro and our wonderful Latin America Coordinator Rosario Carrasco, journeyed deep into the forests of Peru. This expedition was part of a USDA Forest Service-funded project aimed at scaling georeferenced timber sample collection across Latin America. The project’s goal is to create essential reference datasets that allow stakeholders like governments and companies to verify the origin of forest products, ultimately helping to safeguard biodiversity and protect threatened forest ecosystems in the region. On this trip, collectors were joined by colleagues from UNODC—Camilo Romero and Niskar Peña—and USDA Forest Service—Marysol Jaime Arteaga and Eric Rosenfield—as well as Dr. Peter Gasson, Henry Jennings and Tilly Calcutt from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Dr. Victor Deklerck, Dr. Thomas Mortier, and Lydia Prior from World Forest ID. A special thanks to UNODC en español, particularly Ana Lucía Yépez, for the incredible footage, and to Green Gold Forestry Peru for granting access to their concession. #Deforestation #Biodiversity #EnvironmentalProtection #Peru

In a significant new video, the Financial Times investigates how World Forest ID is tackling global deforestation, highlighting: 1️⃣ The science and data science driving our work, with insights from our Director of Science, Dr Victor Deklerck, and data scientists Dr Jakub Truszkowski and Dr Thomas Mortier. 2️⃣ Our invaluable partnerships with leading scientific institutions – Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, University of Adelaide and Meise Botanic Garden, featuring Professor Andrew Lowe, Dr Tony Hall, Dr Peter Gasson, and Dr Cady Lancaster. 3️⃣ The devastating effects of the illegal timber trade on landscapes and biodiversity, as described by our Executive Director, Jade Saunders. Special thanks to Tim Versteegen, Madeleine Speed and Conrad Suckling for their excellent reporting. #IllegalTimberTrade #Deforestation #FinancialTimes #EnvironmentalProtection https://lnkd.in/efuB4YBc