A review of the CITES listing of big-leaf mahogany

Abstract

Big-leaf mahogany Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae) is the premier timber species of Latin America. A lack of law enforcement allows widespread illegal logging, and its unsustainable harvest depletes local stocks, necessitating a shift in sources of supply. To better control this exploitation, parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) recently elected to list mahogany on Appendix II. This listing requires exporting countries to verify that each shipment was legally acquired and its harvest was non-detrimental to the survival of mahogany. The CITES listing poses considerable challenges: 1) there is no precedent, as mahogany is the first commonly traded timber species listed on Appendix II, and 2) given current, unsustainable logging practices, CITES regulations will be difficult to implement. This paper synthesizes information on the conservation and management of mahogany that informed the listing decision, and provides recommendations for implementation, including timber tracking to ensure legality.