Traders who import Brazilian mahogany run a substantial risk of being targeted by Greenpeace, the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) is warning.
The TTF hosted a meeting for about a dozen UK timber traders on Tuesday to discuss the import of the wood in light of a recent High Court case brought by the environmental group.
Greenpeace tried unsuccessfully to argue that a recent cargo of mahogany was imported to Birkenhead illegally. It is appealing against the decision.
Dr Penny Bienz, head of environmental affairs at the TTF, said: ‘It will have huge ramifications if Greenpeace wins. The whole of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES ) will be called into question.’
She said traders at Tuesday’s meeting voiced concern about this as they rely on CITES procedures for importing mahogany.
Dr Bienz added: ‘We do feel there will be implications for further shipments of mahogany.’
Meanwhile, DLH Timber (UK) Ltd is the latest timber trader to be targeted by Greenpeace. Major customers of the company were sent a ‘briefing’ by Greenpeace on what it claims are DLH’s links with companies involved in illegal logging.
Stuart Palmer, managing director of DLH Timber (UK) Ltd, said DLH and Greenpeace shared the ‘same goals’ in supporting sustainable forestry, although differed in their ways of achieving them.
‘We boycott suppliers who are blacklisted by the authorities. We will of course come into conflict with organisations such as Greenpeace when they make their own lists of who should be boycotted.’
