Reuters reports on a British company, Helveta, that has developed a unique way to protect hardwood trees in parts of Africa, southeast Asia and South America against illegal logging and help countries keep track of timber reserves.

They are barcoding them with little plastic tags similar to the ones you’d find on supermarket groceries.

Every plantation tree above a predetermined size has a bar code and when that tree is cut down, another bar code is attached to the remaining stump. Other tags are nailed into the processed wood, providing a computerized trail for customs officials to follow.

At the same time, the tags are scanned by handheld computers in the field and the data is entered into Helveta’s secure database.

This technology should help companies comply with the sustainable timber import laws set up by the United States and Europe. At the same time, Helveta hopes that this innovative practice could also be able to assist with the proposed United Nations Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme  which aims to increase forest cover with the aim of soaking up carbon dioxide emissions.

Of course, this won’t stop those determined to chop down trees but it might make it more difficult for them to sell, process or export the wood.

Image: fabbio

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