Outputs: 

1)   Research Paper
2)   Workshop (Bogor-Workshop)
3)   Project Summary Report

1.   Research Paper

The Research Paper will be developed based on a combination of desktop research, a survey of Xylaria and other relevant institutions in the APEC economies, and an information-gathering meeting of qualified APEC economy stakeholders, including Experts. The Paper will provide an overview of current identification tools and practices used by Xylaria in different APEC Economies; an analysis of different methods including emerging technologies; best practice identification tools for APEC economies; and a summary of a list of commercial timber used. The Paper will also identify potential approaches to developing a standard method to timber identification in APEC Economies and the result of the effort in enriching selected /tools with timber collection in the Asia Pacific Region. Moreover, the Paper will present the recommendation in integrating the wood identifications system into Timber Legality Assurance System (TLAS). The research paper will be published on the APEC Website and contain approximately 20 pages and include an Executive Summary, the result in collected data on tools and practices from APEC Economies, a list number of commercial timber in Asia Pacific, various case studies illustrating advantages or disadvantages of different systems, a summary of identified best practices and a recommended standard system for timber identification in APEC, a summary of recommendation in integrating wood identifications system into TLAS, and a summary of key findings and conclusions.

The Research Paper will be a result of two online meetings in March and April 2023. The meeting in March will involve research scientists from the Asia Pacific Region and Experts. There also will be attended by 4 Experts (Experts A, B, C, and D), 2 moderators (Moderator X and Y), a consultant, and PO during the meeting, the Experts will listen to presentation of the research scientists from the Asia Pacific Region, giving comments and consideration on the two main topics: 1) Material Transfer Agreement mechanism for database enrichment of selected wood identification tool, and 2) Potential approaches to developing a standard method for timber identification in APEC economies.

The tentative agenda will be as follows:

Joint Research (Discussion) among research scientists of the APEC (March 2023):

Furthermore, after one month compilation of the discussion result, the contractor will send the summary to the invited Experts in April 2023. Then, the Experts will present the recommendation and discuss the summary on collected data on tools and practices from APEC economies, various case studies illustrating advantages or disadvantages of different systems, a summary of identified best practices and a recommended standard system for timber identification in APEC in an online Forum Group Discussion (FGD) involving related policy decision makers in May 2023. The FGD will discuss deeply the potential recommendation in integrating selected wood identification technology into TLAS. The tentative agenda is as follows:

Forum Group Discussion (FGD-1) between Experts and Related Policy Decision Makers of the APEC (May 2023):

2)   Bogor Workshop

The capability building Workshop in Bogor, Indonesia, will be held in September 2023 in a format of in person training for the delegates of APEC member from the Customs of economies; governments responsible for environment, forestry, industry, and trade, judicial, and other relevant authorities; wood-based industries (traders); academia and training colleges; and certification bodies. The Workshop will include 6 Experts (Expert A, D, E, F, G, and H) and DNA Trainer I who will give training in theoretical and practical in wood identification. It will be conducted in three days with the agenda as follows:

3)   Project Summary Report

The Project Summary Report will contain the key finding in the joint research activities and the result of capacity building workshop (Bogor Workshop). It will be approximately 40 pages or 50-70 pages including the Appendix containing the events agendas, speaker biographies, and the workshop materials. The report will be submitted in minimum in October 2023 and published minimum in December 2023). The Project Summary Report will be presented in five chapters (tentative):

1) Executive Summary

2) Introduction, Objectives and Project Relevance

3) Project Activities: Presentation of the details of project implementation covering:

a) 1^st joint research meeting (presentation and discussion of research scientists from the Asia Pacific Region and Experts)

b) 2^nd joint research meeting (Forum Group Discussion on the possibility of integrating the identification system with other systems apart from TLAS; and other existing identification system that had been implemented globally) 

c)  Process of Material Transfer Agreement development

d) Process of database enrichment of selected wood identification tool

e) Capacity Building Workshop

4) Project Outputs and Outcomes

The summary of Research Paper on:

a) Collected data on tools and practices from APEC economies

b) Advantages or disadvantages of different systems and a summary of identified best practices

c)  List of traded timber in APEC

d)  Mechanism on Xylaria collaboration in Asia Pacific region

5)  Conclusion and Recommendation

a)  The needs and recommendation on standardized system for timber identification in APEC

b) Recommendation of potential integration into Timber Legality Assurance System

Outcomes: Specific aspirational outcomes include:

(a) Connectivity of the Asia Pacific timber: The network or collaboration of Xylaria in the Asia-Pacific Region is generated;

(b) Selected tools/methods in wood identification for facilitating the legal timber trade are enriched with the timber collection from the Asia Pacific region;

(c) Improved ability of the government officers (Customs, Law Enforcement) and/ or industries in wood identification (an evaluation survey will be circulated to participants after the main event (Workshop));

(d) Increased resources and materials to guide APEC economies in integrating timber identification systems

Beneficiaries: The project beneficiaries are (a) Customs of Economies, (b) Governments, responsible for environment, forestry, industry, trade, judicial, Customs and other relevant authorities; (c) Wood-based industries (traders); (d) Academia and training colleges; Certification Bodies, (e) Non-Government Organization. The information and lessons learned will directly benefit and be shared with them, and they will be invited to the final presentation of findings/outcomes. Legal court and Custom will benefit from accurate and easy to used wood species identification, which is needed for legal evidence. It will also improve the accuracy of the legal document thus facilitating the legal timber trade. Researchers will benefit from improved knowledge, increased capacity on research methodologies, baseline data, and better policy influence through publications and knowledge dissemination.

Training the government officers, management authorities (Customs, Law Enforcement agencies), industries, and scientists in the Asia Pacific region on wood identification will greatly benefit the forestry and wood-based industry of the Economies. The knowledge received from the workshop will greatly enhance the capabilities as well as promote forest law enforcement and government (FLEG) for sustainable management of forests and combating illegal timber trading in the region. The networking will strongly support the development of a timber/plant database which is very important for identification purposes. These projects will be beneficial to various sectors such as academe, wood-based industries, and other similar government institutions.