Ecuador Teak, Saman (Monkeypod), and Balsa wood were among the species seized by authorities in Ecuador’s Manabí province during the first half of 2021.

In total, 482.33 cubic meters of wood were seized in controls carried out on roads and commercialization points in the province.

Ten administrative processes have been opened to loggers for not having the enabling documentation, such as the Harvesting License, and for non-compliance with the Current Environmental Regulations.

Ecuador Teak, Monkeypod, and Balsa wood are species that are prized by commercial, industrial and retail wood enthusiasts.

Teak from Ecuador is often considered more sustainable as it’s plantation-grown. Monkeypod has become a celebrity among the slab wood crowd. And Balsa wood is a core material in wind turbine blades, demand for which has exploded in recent years.

See: Is that wind turbine made from illegally harvested Balsa wood?

Legal risks in wood product supply chains are global (e.g. Timber Risk Map). Buyers who care about the supply chains they support can start by asking their suppliers on simple question: where in the forest did this wood product originate?

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