Support for Implementing COP-17 CITES-Listed Timber Species: Development of a Rosewood Assessment Diagnostic Toolkit

The purpose of this project is to develop range state capacity to effectively implement CITES COP-17 rosewood listings.

In the face of this booming illegal trade and its threat to rosewood species across the planet, the Parties at COP-17 agreed to list the entire Dalbergia genus (some 250 species, including many of the most prized rosewoods), Pterocarpus erinaceous (kosso, a highly exploited rosewood species from West Africa) and three Guibourtia species (bubinga, another rosewood-like species) to CITES Appendix II.

As a rapid-response first step towards this goal, WRI herein proposes to develop the prototype for a Rosewood Strategic Assessment Diagnostic toolkit (ROSAD) for use by authorities, stakeholders and donors in CITES-listed rosewood range states and their donor and technical partners in strengthening capacities to implement the COP-17 rosewood listings.

Specific activities will include: (1) collecting data through desk and online research and analysis; (2) consulting with CITES Scientific and Management authorities, the CITES Secretariat, scientific and technical experts on rosewood species and wood identification, and private sector and civil society stakeholders; and (3) production of a draft ROSAD Toolkit prototype that is ready for peer review and field validation.