Forensic Wood Science: science & technology for compliance and enforcement. Shelley Gardner U.S. Forest Service, International Programs

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1 Forensic Wood Science: science & technology for compliance and enforcement Shelley Gardner U.S. Forest Service, International Programs

2 US FOREST SERVICE international programs Technical Cooperation Policy Disaster Programs Outreach and Partnerships

3 Policy and legislative context Forests and Forestry U.S. Approach Value and take account of multiple goods and services of forest ecosystems promoting sustainable forest management Address underlying causes of deforestation (e.g., tenure, corruption, perverse incentives) Support participatory approaches - raising awareness and building capacity through bilateral and multilateral efforts Base policy on the best available science Strengthen transparency and accountability in the international trade in forest products.

4 Policy and legislative context U.S. Efforts to Strengthen Forest Governance & Combat Illegal Logging and Associated Trade MOUs with Indonesia and China Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue Commitments in trade agreements Bilateral and regional assistance for forestry Support for ITTO Programs and Projects Support for RAFT and Forest Legality Alliance Amended Lacey Act - adds an enforcement tool Investment in legality assurance technologies

5 USFS tools and technology to combat illegal logging and associated trade Forest inventory and monitoring Timber tracking Wood identification, wood science

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7 Domestic USFS log tracking system Low-tech integrated system to track logs from source to final destination Law enforcement International collaboration LIBERIA, BOLIVIA, HONDURAS, PERU Higher tech approach, IT-, GPS based, computerized CoC systems Forest operations information management system Open platform for storing, producing, managing documents Audit for data validation and reconciliation DNA-based timber tracking USFS Timber Tracking

8 Forensic Wood Science Compliance and enforcement Timber tracking and forensic support Wood identification Genus, species Geographic origin Cultivated vs. wild Individual Based on information inherent to the wood and independent from CoC documents - cannot be falsified

9 Scientific & Forensic Network USFS Forest Products Laboratory USFS National Forest Genetics Laboratory US Fish & Wildlife Service National Forensics Laboratory US Customs and Border Protection Laboratories and Scientific Services The US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Lab. Credit: USFWS Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History Lab scientist at work. Credit: USFWS

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11 Complementary technologies Scientific, tamper-proof systems where technologies verify genus, species, and geographic origin anyplace along supply chain. Chain of custody documentation Falsifiable and substitutable Wood Anatomy Taxonomic identity, not always to species Mass Spectrometry Taxonomic identity, geographic origin, wild vs. cultivated Stable isotopes Geographic origin Molecular genetics Individual identity, taxonomic identity, geographic origin

12 Scientific and forensic initiatives Applying science to CoC Wood anatomy Classical laboratory analysis Fiber testing Field identification Automated wood ID Wood anatomy of molecular techniques Mass Spectrometry Stable Isotopes DNA

13 Wood anatomy classical laboratory analysis Depends on highly specialized scientific expertise and access to xylarium (wood library) Access to voucher samples limiting factor for other emerging technologies. USFS FPL long standing history Center for Wood Anatomy Research Traditional analysis of seized material CITES and Lacey violations

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15 Pulp and paper microscopy Experts can determine: Pulping process (mechanical, chemical) Wood type (e.g. hardwoods, softwoods) Wood anatomy fiber analysis of pulp and paper products Genus, sometimes species

16 CITES Tropical Timber Manual Identificacion de las especies maderables de Centroamerica InsideWood, CITESwoodID Wood anatomy Field identification Alex C. Wiedenhoft, Research Botanist

17 Wood anatomy Automated wood ID Field manuals and training inefficient, more efficient identification necessary Use computers and sensors to produce machine vision wood ID device Low cost off-the-shelf hardware, open source software, central database, open platform Hybrid human-machine learning (HHML)

18 Wood anatomy Automated wood ID Field-deployable system/prototype that, as of right now, is as accurate as a person with one week of wood identification training Inter-laboratory cooperation: Kew Botanical Gardens, UK National Measurement Office, Brazilian Forest Products Lab, University of Turin, Thünen Institute DEMONSTRATION

19 Columbia University, the University of Maryland, Smithsonian Institution

20 idbee Automatic Bee Identification from Wing Venation

21 Wood anatomy of molecular techniques Alex C. Wiedenhoft, Research Botanist Valerie Hipkins, Director National Forest Genetics Laboratory Improving efficiency in extracting DNA of sufficient quality and quantity from wood products Indentify DNA in wood predictably located in certain cells Pre-processing specimens can maximize extraction efficiency Evaluate extractions

22 Mass Spectrometry Rosewood (Dalbergia) Species determination Agarwood (Aquilaria) Genus determination Country of origin Cultivated vs. wild

23 DNA Thunen Institute of Forest Genetics Germany ITTO-Project: Development and implementation of a species identification and timber tracking system with DNA fingerprints and stable isotopes in Africa Russia-Germany-US Timber tracking and species identification of Russian larch and Mongolian oak Enhanced Capacity for Wood ID in Latin America US Forest Service Peru Forest Sector Initiative and CIO in cooperation with the Government of Peru Forest Inventories, population studies

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25 DNA Implications of accessible genomics Rich Cronn, USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station Genomics approaches make traditional molecular analyses faster, cost effective Genomics provide useful solutions in species identification, delimitation Genomics give richer insights into population biology Genomics help identify genes that control adaptive traits

26 Forensic Wood Science Application Timber theft (DNA, Individualization) Suspect apprehended with with truckload of firewood. DNA Analysis determined that wood came from recently cut stump on FS National Forest land. Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Walnut and cherry tree stolen from private property. Investigators confiscated walnut log from lumber mill and knew the identity of the seller, used DNA to match log back to the stump. Open cases Economic impact increasing

27 Arson (DNA, individualization) Using Plant DNA as Evidence in a Fire Investigation A branch touched a transformer and sparked a fire. In evidence: the branch that was entangled with the transformer. The scene of the fire origin. From which tree/stump did the branch come from.

28 DNA Showed that it Came from Here CDF Thought Here Government recovered ~$7 million from power company

29 Murder case (individualization) State v. Bogan Woman s body found in the desert, near several Palo Verde trees. 2 seed pods found in bed of truck defendant was driving before the murder. Geneticist testified that the two pods were identical and matched completely with a particular tree and didn t match any of the [other] trees and that he felt quite confident in concluding that the tree s DNA would be distinguishable from that of any tree that might be furnished to him. Jury convicted defendant of murder, and found this testimony very persuasive.

30 Trade cases Trade in Brazilian rosewood, Dalbergia nigra (mass spectrometry, class character ID) Trade in Agarwood, Aquileria (mass spectrometry, class character ID and cultivated vs. wild) Trade in Mongolian oak, Quercus mongolica (wood anatomy, class character ID)

31 The way forward - collaboration Investment in R&D, technology transfer and outreach, public private partnerships Executive Order Combating Wildlife Trafficking Identifying training and technology needs International Barcode of Life (ibol/cbol), TreeBOL The Global Timber Tracking Network (GTTN) Thünen Centre of Competence on the Origin of Timber Law Enforcement INTERPOL, WENS, EUTR-Lacey Act exchange

32 To facilitate and to promote the integrated use of DNA and stable isotope technologies to fight illegal logging.

33 GTTN s Structure and Organization 1. Secretariat by Bioversity 2. Working Groups Genetic Working Group (GWP) Isotope Working Group (IWP) Wood Anatomy Working Group (WAWG) Policy and Advocacy Group Working Group (PAWG) 3. Membership: online registration soon International & Multi-stakeholders Steering Committee

34 Thank you US FOREST SERVICE international programs