Peru works toward system that enables legal timber verification

The monitoring and Control Module of the National Forest and Wildlife Information System (MC-SNIFFS) implied the development and field review of seven processes of the forest administration:

• the management of the areas on which titles for timber harvesting can be granted;
• the management and granting of those enabling titles;
• the presentation and approval of the forest management plans that detail how the timber will be used in these forest titles;
• the execution, monitoring and reporting of the plans’ implementation;
• the issuance, registration and control of forest transportation guides for the harvested timber; the registration and management of raw materials in the timber industry 
• transport management and control for timber commercialization in the market.

The technological web based system of the module is based on recording timber harvesting information country wide from forest concession holders, private harvesting permits holders, as well as forest land conversion authorizations by both private sector users as well as public officials in work stations along the supply chain.

As of March 2020 all forest concession companies are required to keep a Timber Harvesting Operations Book, and as of August 2020 Timber Processing Industry is required to keep a Primary Processing Operations Book. This enables forest administration procedures to be both to be efficient, as well as to contribute to prove the legal origin of Peruvian timber in both domestic and international markets by 2021.

Technical support to this project is provided by International Cooperation programs like German GIZ Pro-Ambiente II (timber traceability) and the USAID Pro-Bosques project (MC-SNIFFS module development). The final challenge has been to introduce a reliable but practical timber traceability system in the forest from tree felling onwards to log arrival at the processing plant. According to the GIZ consultant, “FSC certified forest companies had no problem in meeting the new requirements as chain of custody has always been part of the FSC standard. Additionally, many timber companies now realize that an effective traceability system is also an indispensable management tool".

Finally the effective implementation of this system will strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of the timber value chain, which is key for the Peruvian Amazon economy.

For further information on the MC-SNIFFS module, see: https://www.serfor.gob.pe/modulos-sniffs/modulo-de-control (in Spanish)