The work of our Forests team is about far more than trees and the protection of the Earth’s precious remaining forests – it also keeps a sharp watch on the issue of forest conversion for cash crops, especially palm oil, and on related human rights issues such as corruption, governance and land rights
An incredible document has landed on my desk, a policy position paper underpinning an article in the European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF) Summer 2018 Newsletter, which covered the views of a so-called ‘Large Yacht Industry Cluster’ regarding EU, US and Australian legislation on illegal timber
For those combatting transnational forest crime, the ability to identify and prevent stolen timber from import into domestic markets is a vital tool but for too long there has been no real international consensus as to how to judge whether timber has been legally acquired, leaving enforcement struggling to operate
In this Investigator blog, one of our undercover investigators shares his experiences on how the various stresses of the job are sometimes balanced with rewarding 'Eureka' moments where a sudden insight, made possible by diligent preparation and up-front field investigation, can lead to a breakthrough in investigations
In this Investigator blog, we highlight how we interpret data brought back from the field to support our intelligence-led approach to combatting environmental crime. Using complex analysis software, our crime analysts aim to better understand criminal syndicate dynamics and inform further operations and enforcement
In this Investigator blog, one of our investigators recalls his scariest moment of working undercover while on a timber investigation in Asia and being arrested after arousing suspicion. Going undercover is nerve-wracking but it's vital not to be overcome by fear and fully understand the risks involved in the work