Action against Illegal Timber at DLH Vlissingen

Greenpeace activist block the entrance to Danish timber importer DLH (Dalhoff, Larsen und Hornemann), world's largest importer of tropical hardwood, in the Dutch town of Vlissingen. Greenpeace found illegally logged tropical timber on the premises and used the piles of timber to block the gate. At the same time other activists are making an inventory of the other timber on the premises of the company. Eight activists were arrested. DLH is selling timber coming from companies that are dealing with illegal logging. Greenpeace has reported this suspicious timber to the justice department.
This inventory shows that the timber on the premises of DLH comes from several African logging companies that were recently fined for illegal logging like IBC, Alpicam and French company Rougier. For some time now DLH is trading suspicious timber from Brasil Africa and South East Asia. Especially concerning wood from the Amazon multinational DLH is one of the main traders. A recently published research by Greenpeace shows that a minimum of 66% of the logging done in the most timber-producing state in the Amazon, Para, is illegal.
This action is a part of the Dutch campaign 'Illegaal hout is crimineel' (illegal timber is criminal). Greenpeace wants to show where illegal timber enters the country and where is is used. Fifty percent of the tropical wood used in the Netherlands was logged illegally. Greenpeace aims to put pressure on the Dutch government to take action. At this moment the government is doing nothing to stop the illegal trade. Worse still, governmental institutions often use suspicious timber themselves. Greenpeace wants the Dutch government to insist on European legislation, prohibiting the import of illegally logged timber. Major traders in the business like DLH must at the same time take responsibility and make sure they only import sustainable timber.

Illegal logging is destroying millions of acres of ancient forest. Many endangered species like chimpanzees and the jaguar depend on these forests. Illegal logging mainly takes place in third world countries, where governments lack capacity to maintain the forests law. As long as the international market is an important motive for illegal logging, the destruction of our last ancient forests will continue. Sustainable logging cannot compete with these cheap illegal products. European legislation concerning illegal logging is therefore necessary.