About 26% of the timber material transports registered in SUMAL 2.0 and checked by WWF are non-compliant, shows a WWF monitoring report based on the public information existing in the “Forest Inspector” platform. Through a simple office analysis, in which we looked at the data the operators introduced into this platform, we found out that the photos timber transporters upload to SUMAL are often inconclusive and “fool” the system, which it is not designed to check them.
The monitoring activity was performed on a sample of 3047 primary notices (only the red dots in the Forest Inspector) which, even if do not have statistical relevance at the national level, highlight the systemic problems existing in the current illegal logging combat system.
The most common non-conformities are related to vehicle overloading compared to the timber volumes declared in the platform and to non-conforming photos that the representative of the professional transporter is obliged to take and to introduce into the app. Most of the time, the non-compliant photos aim precisely to hide illegalities related to overloading or to multiple transports with the same notice.
“The solution to all these problems is to implement the digital fingerprint, which strengthens the preventive role of the controlling system: it allows the automated measurement and the quick check of the transported timber quantities, it simplifies the checking procedures. Basically, with the same resources, it generates clear clues in case of multiple transports or of overloading, it provides more transparency and eliminates the subjectivity of the human factor.”
The results of the desktop monitoring report
- The main problems are non-conforming photo recording and overloading.
- We found significant differences regarding the non-conformities share at area level allocated to different forest guards.
- We noticed that the enforcement of the emergency ordinance regarding the firewood price capping to the population acts as a pressure factor that generates a series of non-conformities regarding firewood transports by vans; this assessment is supported by the high frequency of non-conformities in areas with a forest deficit.
- We observed a slowdown of the non-conformities share once the National Forestry Guard was established and as controls carried out by the authorities were increased (including compared to the evaluations made during the previous years).
WWF’s main suggestions
- Introducing the digital footprint of timber transports.
- Authorizing the specialization of those responsible for measuring, sorting and making registration procedures in SUMAL (eg: making the electronic seal of timber transports).
- Registering the authorized transport capacity of the transport means in SUMAL, including its standardized measures according to its technical book.
- Standardizing the method of taking and recording photos. This is an alternative option until the development of the digital footprint of timber transports.
- Penalties must target those responsible for implementing legal procedures. Currently, punishing the „Issuer” for any non-compliant photos taken by the „Transporter” undermines compliance with the correct procedure enforcement.
- It is necessary to highlight the finalized transports in the SUMAL 2.0 platform.
All these measures, including those aimed at the system to fight illegal logging, should be included into the provisions of the Forestry Code in order to be implemented and to meet the current challenges.