Gibson Guitar 1st to Feel Teeth of Lacey Act
November 20, 2009
Various local news sources reported Tuesday that agents of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service searched the Tennessee manufacturing facility of Gibson Guitar as part of an investigation under the Lacey Act into the use of endangered rosewood from Madagascar.
This search represents the first use of a landmark 2008 amendment to the Lacey Act prohibiting trade in illegally sourced wood products. The Lacey Act is a 100-year-old statute that restricts traffic in illegally harvested species.
According to reports, agents seized wood, guitars, computers and files.
Gibson released the following statement: "Gibson Guitar is fully cooperating with agents of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service regarding an issue with wood procurement. Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO takes the issue of responsible wood sourcing very seriously. Gibson Guitar makes every effort to ensure that all its wood purchases are legal and is also working to increase the amount of wood purchased from certified sources, including FSC-certified wood. The company will continue to cooperate fully and assist our federal government with all inquiries and information."
"This action is an important signal that U.S. law enforcement is taking the amended Lacey Act seriously," said Alexander von Bismarck, executive director of the non-profit Environmental Investigation Agency, which investigates and exposes environmental crime around the world.
"Illegal logging around the world destroys lives, jobs, forests, our climate, and biodiversity," added von Bismarck. "And unfortunately the American consumer has so far been an unwitting accomplice in this destruction—but this can change. Implementing and enforcing this law is critical to the U.S. government’s efforts to reduce our role in deforestation worldwide."
Following political turmoil in Madagascar earlier this year, loggers invaded Madagascar's national parks and plundered valuable hardwoods, such as rosewood and ebony, for export to international markets. EIA recently completed a joint report on the logging crisis for Madagascar National Parks with the United Kingdom-based watchdog organization Global Witness. The report will be made public next week.
This search represents the first use of a landmark 2008 amendment to the Lacey Act prohibiting trade in illegally sourced wood products. The Lacey Act is a 100-year-old statute that restricts traffic in illegally harvested species.
According to reports, agents seized wood, guitars, computers and files.
Gibson released the following statement: "Gibson Guitar is fully cooperating with agents of the United States Fish & Wildlife Service regarding an issue with wood procurement. Gibson Guitar Chairman and CEO takes the issue of responsible wood sourcing very seriously. Gibson Guitar makes every effort to ensure that all its wood purchases are legal and is also working to increase the amount of wood purchased from certified sources, including FSC-certified wood. The company will continue to cooperate fully and assist our federal government with all inquiries and information."
"This action is an important signal that U.S. law enforcement is taking the amended Lacey Act seriously," said Alexander von Bismarck, executive director of the non-profit Environmental Investigation Agency, which investigates and exposes environmental crime around the world.
"Illegal logging around the world destroys lives, jobs, forests, our climate, and biodiversity," added von Bismarck. "And unfortunately the American consumer has so far been an unwitting accomplice in this destruction—but this can change. Implementing and enforcing this law is critical to the U.S. government’s efforts to reduce our role in deforestation worldwide."
Following political turmoil in Madagascar earlier this year, loggers invaded Madagascar's national parks and plundered valuable hardwoods, such as rosewood and ebony, for export to international markets. EIA recently completed a joint report on the logging crisis for Madagascar National Parks with the United Kingdom-based watchdog organization Global Witness. The report will be made public next week.
i am a tree hugger every guitarist is a tree hugger i intend to hug more tree in the future and i am not biased in the color of the wood used is this one more intrusion into our freedoms by those who wish to control rather than steward our resources mo0re power to the people more guitars for the people