Illegally Logged Imported Hardwoods
The illegal logging of imported Hardwood timbers into Australia is a serious problem,
and has been largely facilitated by the ignorance of many timber yards and large chain stores.
Some important information you should consider before buying Merbau, Belian, Batu, Balau, Matoa
or any other Asian timber for your timber deck or screen.
Indonesia has been subject to mass illegal deforestation over the past fifteen years.
It has been reported that up to $400 Million worth of timber, which has been illegally harvested from Indonesia, has made
its way into Australia and is readily accepted by many importers, large chain stores and timber yards.
In 2006, it is alleged that 300,000 cubic metres of Merbau logs were being smuggled out each month.
Forests in Borneo have also being devastated by illegal logging and also fall under the protection
of the powerful Indonesian mafia, the ‘Cukong”.
Due to both illegal and over logging, Merbau is now endangered or almost extinct in many parts of Asia,
with Indonesian stocks declining rapidly.
As recently as 2009, the Australian Government and it's agencies have been seeking to ban all imported timber
that cannot provide authenticity.
Unfortunately these current practices of Authenticity have being subject to widespread corruption
and manipulation within Indonesia, to the extent that up to 80% of Indonesia’s timber exports are still logged illegally.
Current practices of Authenticity involve a simple ‘Certificate of Origin’. This exisiting practice of 'Certificates of
Origin' enable the hardwood to be imported without any real knowledge as to its logged location. Such certificates
only trace the timber back to the sawmill, which are often controlled and influenced by the Cukong.
The existing practice of Certificates of Origin for imported hardwood timbers is a disgrace and highlights the ignorance of many large
chain stores and timber yards that willingly accept Asian Hardwoods of unknown legitimacy.
In an effort to highlight and curb the illegitimacy of much of the Indonesian timber sold within Australia, DNA testing has being intoduced.
DNA testing of imported Hardwoods will ensure that timber has being logged from a Government managed and sustainable
forest. Each sawn log is sampled, DNA tested, and profiled to an exact forest land area of known legality.
If your Imported Asian Hardwood timber is not DNA tested then there is an 80% chance it has being illegally logged.
The Log Factory Guarantees that our Merbau Decking is 100% DNA tested and has been logged from Government managed
sustainable forests. Our DNA tested Merbau hardwood timbers including Decking and Screening is available for purchase online
here
The proof of DNA testing is the imprint on the timber
For more information on DNA LUMBER go to "http://www.certisource.net".
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