Expert group on timber analysis meets in Vienna
Last week, UNODC with its partners of the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC) united efforts to tackle timber crimes by bringing together 30 experts from various disciplines to discuss issues related to timber trafficking and how the use of scientific methods can support law enforcement operations and judicial responses to this crime.
Experts from around the world gathered in Vienna from 10 – 12 December to look at the timber trafficking problem and the available scientific solutions. The experts appreciated the opportunity to discuss the challenges in a candid manner and to look at the available practices across the world to address timber related crime. Most importantly, the dialogue between the scientists, law enforcement and representatives of the legal system, led to a number of practical recommendations and a common agreement by the experts to work together to promote the use of scientific methods in this area. The initial step is the development of a guide on methods and procedures of timber identification. The guide will form a comprehensive document looking at law enforcement, forensic science and legal requirements in the area of timber analysis.
An outline of the content of the guide was developed by the experts at the meeting. The document will be prepared with expert contributions and finalized at the follow up Expert Group Meeting in mid- 2015.
In addition, a conference room paper summarising the discussions and key recommendations put forward by the experts will be issued by UNODC and presented at the 2015 Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Responses.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
Vienna International Centre
Global Programme for Combating Wildlife and Forest Crime
Sustainable Livelihoods Unit
P.O. Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria
Email: WLFC [at] unodc.org (WLFC[at]unodc[dot]org), Tel:(+43-1) 26060-83040, skype / unodc.slu
