• Suriname

Other indicators for legal timber trade of Suriname

Corruption Perception Index

38

/100

A country's score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
Source: Transparency International

 

Bans & quota

No export bans or quota other than CITES and by law protected species, mentioned below.

 

CITES and protected species

There is only one tree species from Suriname listed on CITES Appendix II:

  • Brazilian rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora). The CITES listing applies to logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets, plywood and extracts. Finished products containing such extracts as ingredients, including fragrances, are not considered to be covered by this annotation.

Additionally, some species are protected by Suriname’s government. These are the species in Category C, of which harvesting is forbidden. In case of Bolletrie (Manilkara bidentata) a permit needs to be granted by SBB:

  • Massaranduba, Bulletwood, Bortrie, Bolletrie (Manilkara bidentata)
  • Copaiba, Upru-udu, Hoepelhout, (Copaifera guianensis)
  • Brazil nut, Inginoto (Bertholletia excelsa)
  • Ginger gale, Manrowsudu, Man rozenhout (Aniba mas, Aniba panurensis)
  • Brazilian rosewood, Rowsudu, Rozenhout (Aniba rosaeodora)
  • Sawari nut, Sawari(noto) (Caryocar nuciferum)
  • Cumaru, Tonka (Dipteryx odorata, Dipteryx punctata)
 

National action on timber legality

Suriname is not a VPA country.

Timber Tracking - LogPro and SFISS

Since 2000, Suriname has a computerized log-tracking system, known as LogPro. Now, after 20 years - allowing for a period of transition - during 2019-2020 LogPro will gradually be replaced by a new system for forest monitoring and production control: the Sustainable Forest management Information System Suriname (SFISS). Although the procedures, registrations and the labelling of logs are similar to LogPro, SFISS if fully web-based and all users are able to upload the required information for permitting (by SBB) themselves.

Together with the introduction of SFISS, two major changes were introduces in support of the transition from LogPro to SFISS: (1) logging operations based on extensive are completely banned now, and (2) the annual cutting plan may be based on the inventory of commercial timber species only, no full 100% inventory is required anymore.

Logging and Transport

The trees actually cut are labelled with a polyethylene label with a unique number that is issued by SBB. These label numbers, together with the tree number as assigned in inventory and indicated on the tree map (included in the by SBB approved harvest / cutting plan), must be entered by the concessionaire in a cutting register (kapregister). The label numbers are thus linked to the tree numbers of the inventory. When the logs are prepared for transport from the production site, their label numbers are entered in a way bill (vervoersbiljet). A copy of the cutting register must be presented to the forest guard covering the particular production area, who forwards it to SBB headquarters, where it is entered into LogPro. In SFISS concessionaires can now upload these required data and document by themselves. Systematic inspections of sawmills and other processing facilities are also conducted to ensure that any timber not seen during earlier inspections is detected, registered, and entered into LogPro / SFISS.

 

Third party certification

FSC
The number of forest companies with a valid FSC-FM certificate in Suriname is reduced from four (2016) to one at present (May 2020). As a result, the total certified forest area is reduced from 386,200 ha. to 21,720 ha.

Suriname has no national standard, certifying bodies use a locally adapted standard.

VLC
Verification of Legal Compliance ensures that the administrative requirements of permitting, planning, taxes or fees, and harvesting, as well as a broad range of applicable and relevant laws and regulations related to forestry, have been met. Rainforest Alliance has carried out VLC verifications in Suriname in the past, but currently no VLC-active clients are listed for Suriname.