World Forest ID has received a grant from the U.S. Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to support the Alliance for Wood ID Testing, helping timber traders and retailers in strengthening their sustainable sourcing practices and enhancing their Due Care obligations under the U.S. Lacey Act.
Co-hosted with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Alliance is piloting the use of scientific methods, including isotope and trace element testing, to scrutinize the harvest locations of timber and processed wood products. This project aims to integrate these testing methods into Due Care processes, making them a systematic and essential part of ensuring legal and sustainable sourcing in timber supply chains.
As part of this initiative, timber companies are helped to identify risky supply routes across three pilot projects, each focused on different timber species from key timber producing regions. Samples are analyzed using scientific techniques to confirm or challenge their claimed origin, enabling companies to identify and address potential risks in their supply chains. Lessons learned from the work will be made public in reports that will be published at the end of each pilot, presenting anonymous and aggregated results. The aim of the project is to support companies on their Due Care journey, project American markets from illegal wood and offer insights into broader industry trends, promoting transparency and supporting best practice sourcing across the timber sector.
With the expanding declaration requirements under the U.S. Lacey Act, this funding is specifically targeted to help companies maintain compliance. As the Lacey Act broadens its scope to cover more Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) codes, the volume of imports into the U.S. that require declarations has increased significantly. Beginning December 1, 2024, Phase VII of the enforcement schedule introduced new import declaration requirements for HTS codes such as HS 4412 (plywood), HS 4413 (densified wood), and various wooden furniture products under Chapter 94. To assist companies in navigating these changes, the U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) has specifically highlighted the importance of isotope testing to verify the origins of timber products in its latest Lacey Act Compliance Plan.
The Alliance for Wood ID Testing is also open to companies outside the U.S., helping them fulfill due diligence requirements for sustainable sourcing and legal compliance. Interested companies are encouraged to get involved by contacting Jason.Grant@wwfus.org.
