BSW Aids Army in Fight Against Illegal Logging
March 1, 2006
Timber Company Joins Forces with Army to Help in Bosnian Campaign. BSW Timber, the UK's largest sawmilling group, is playing a vital role in the global fight against illegal logging.
The company has just completed a three-day exercise in Mid-Wales helping the British Army's Green Howard Regiment prepare for a six-month campaign in Bosnia to tackle illegal forestry and the crime that it supports.
The Green Howards fly out to Bosnia on March 21 in the first campaign of its kind ever undertaken by the British Army. Timber is Bosnia's largest natural resource, yet more than 80% of logging is illegal - starting a chain of events that sees the majority of income from forestry disappear into the black market and organised crime.
BSW's sawmill in Newbridge-on-Wye formed a vital part of the Green Howard's training exercise designed to simulate the situations that the army will face in Bosnia.. Some 50 armed commandos mounted a dawn raid on the Mid-Wales site and the company planted bogus paperwork on its employees and drivers were briefed to be uncooperative and evasive when pulled into mock vehicle checkpoints. RAF Chinook helicopters launched low range reconnaissance of the mill's plant operations, and soldiers checked for arms and stowaways on BSW haulage vehicles.
Andrew Smith, Purchasing Director at BSW Timber says: "The army training exercise has given us added insight into the huge problems that illegal forestry causes across the globe. As well as a huge cost to the environment, it also has a detrimental effect on local economies and society, as the money earned from illegal logging supports a myriad of regional crime networks.
"The majority of UK companies, including ourselves, support recognised timber accreditation schemes such as the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC), which shows that the timber is sourced from sustainable, managed and approved suppliers.
"Yet when we are operating across a global economy, the main players in the industry have to do more to ensure that illegal logging does not have a market place. We need to have a much closer working relationship with the local authorities and military to make sure this happens."
John White, Chief Executive of the UK's Timber Trade Federation says: "The knock-on effect of illegal felling and logging is felt in the majority of European countries.
"BSW Timber's involvement in this army training exercise is an example of how large timber companies can be involved on a global scale in combating what is widely recognised as a huge problem. As an industry, we need to continue to fully support certification schemes - while at the same time literally taking the battle to the illegal loggers by supporting internationally co-ordinated campaigns such as the one led by the Green Howards."
This is a view shared by Major Peter Howell, of the Green Howard's Regiment.
He says: "Our anti-illegal logging exercise in Bosnia is an intelligence-led operation in conjunction with Bosnian local authorities. This is the first time that our soldiers have been involved in an illegal logging exercise so it was vital that we provided them with the new skills and training needed.
"Our aim was to recreate what we will be experiencing when we are out in Bosnia and BSW Timber has been an invaluable support in doing this, while heavy rain and snow on the training exercises made the experience all the more realistic. Now, thanks to BSW Timber, our soldiers have hands on experience of carrying out anti-illegal logging activities. "