Publications

The fourth newsletter of the Forest Legality Alliance (July 2011) covers a variety of new tools and publications and an outbreak of violence targeting environmental activists in various countries.

The third newsletter of the Forest Legality Alliance (May 2011) covers stakeholder outreach in Vietnam and Indonesia; Potomac Forum and Forest Legality Alliance meetings in Washington, DC; and certification and the Lacey Act. A guest post by Elizabeth Baldwin discusses the wood products industries' green credentials.

In November 2009, federal agents raided a Gibson Guitar manufacturing facility in Tennessee as part of an investigation under the Lacey Act. Agents were investigating the alleged use of illegally sourced wood from Madagascar in some of Gibson’s well-known musical instruments. If proven, import or use of such wood can constitute a serious felony punishable with large fines for the company and possible jail terms for any executives involved.

The second newsletter of the Forest Legality Alliance (January 2011) covers paper and fiber testing in the Lacey Act context, the results of the FLA's first market survey, and Voluntary Partnership Agreement progress in Africa.

The first newsletter of the Forest Legality Alliance (October 2010) covers the May 2010 launch of the Alliance, stakeholder outreach in Honduras and Brazil, and a Chatham House report on illegal logging.

This brief report from the Environmental Investigation Agency aims to clear up a number of misconceptions that emerged after the Lacey Act plant amendments were passed. It discusses such subjects as how to practice due care, the role of supply chain documentation, and the interactions between certification programs and legal liability under the Lacey Act.

This guide to the Lacey Act from the Environmental Investigation Agency describes the provisions of the Act in 14 frequently asked questions, ranging from "What is 'illegal' under the Lacey Act?" to "What constitutes a 'plant'?" The report also contains a very useful chart diagramming the schedule of penalties for violations of the Act.