21 May 2013: The International Tropical Timber Organization published the first quarter Tropical Forest Update for 2013. The Update celebrates the entry into force of the International Tropical Timber Agreement 2006 (ITTA 2006), highlighting the objectives of improved trade of sustainably harvested tropical timber and the sustainable forest management (SFM) of tropical timber producing forests.

The Update states that the ITTO will support marketing and improve competitiveness, in addition to improving forest law enforcement, SFM and governance.

The publication also introduces a number of papers and reports on: monitoring ITTO projects; addressing conflict among forest stakeholders in Cameroon; discussing lessons learned from managing big-leaf mahogany in Brazil – a listed species under the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES); and tracking DNA for sustainably logged tropical timber. Also addressed are the evolution of community based forest management in Papua New Guinea, and the management of private small-medium forest enterprises in Peru.

The Update also houses reports on market trends in tropical timber trade, a list of recent publications, an overview of recently funded projects under the ITTO and a calendar of upcoming meetings related to tropical timber. [Publication: Tropical Forest Update Volume 22 No. 1]