State of Madagascar RW in Nat Geo

[bitraker]

from the article

"Unfinished rosewood boards from Madagascar are sold openly even in the United States. Can vendors prove that the rosewood was legally (and ethically) obtained? Usually the answer is “no.”

"Illegal logging of rosewood (Dalbergia spp.) and ebony (Diospyros spp.), has emerged as the most severe threat to Madagascar’s dwindling northeastern rain forests."


read the article

http://voices.nationalgeographic.com...ogging_crisis/

>>

[BrunoBlack]

This posting is almost 7 years old (May 2010) and I'm not sure what the current status of regulatory controls are. We know that the supplies have been abused and decimated, but regulations might have changed. This topic comes up regularly and the last time I saw it, out of interest, I did ask a few of the smaller builders who use Madagascar about the supply they have on hand and any new material they were buying. This was a pretty unanimous opinion they shared with me.

It is actually still legal to harvest and purchase Madagascar Rosewood with the proper CITES documentation. They all refuse to do work using wood that doesn't have documentation.

"In 2011 Madagascar Rosewood was listed by CITES as an appendix III endangered species, meaning that harvesting is allowed but restricted, and wood must be purchased with CITES documentation. Since then, all the Mad Rose they've purchased has been accompanied by CITES paperwork.

https://cites.org/eng/news/pr/2011/2...ppendixIII.php

[Orfeas]

Very eye-opening read.

Guitar consumer to guitar factory X: How do you know that the rosewood is legally/ethically harvested?

Guitar factory: The vendor told me!

Hmmmm.

[BrunoBlack]

Originally Posted by Orfeas

Very eye-opening read.

Guitar consumer to guitar factory X: How do you know that the rosewood is legally/ethically harvested?

Guitar factory: The vendor told me!

Hmmmm.

Or -- "we have Cites documentation that demonstrates chain of custody." I'm not advocating for mad rose, Cocobolo or any other threatened species. But it is nice to deal with facts if & when they are available.

[bitraker]

This posting is almost 7 years old (May 2010)...

then it has only gotten worse...

it's all going the way of Brazilian rosewood

sad

[Orfeas]

Thanks for the input Paul. I just saw your link after I posted. I've heard (or read maybe) that cocobolo is getting kinda more difficult to be obtained. Cartels in Mexico figured this out and attempting to get their hands on logging territories. Truth or false, I have no idea if that's the case.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by bitraker

then it has only gotten worse...

it's all going the way of Brazilian rosewood

sad

It's necessary.

[LSemmens]

Just a question on timbers, Is Madagascan Rosewood any different to Brazilian or to Indian? The reason I ask is that Indian rosewood does tend to grow very easily in the Northern Territory and I am wondering if there may actually be a potential market should someone choose to set up a forest. Same for African Mahogany.

[ohYew812]

Originally Posted by LSemmens

Just a question on timbers, Is Madagascan Rosewood any different to Brazilian or to Indian? The reason I ask is that Indian rosewood does tend to grow very easily in the Northern Territory and I am wondering if there may actually be a potential market should someone choose to set up a forest. Same for African Mahogany.

There's an infinite amount of info on this over at the UMGF in the 'Log Cabin' sub-forum.

The general consensus of the world class luthiers that contribute there seem to the think Madagascar rosewood is much closer tone wise to Braz than EIR.

Then there is 'Amazon rosewood' (Dalbergia spruceana) which supposedly sounds the closest to Braz than any other.

[Howard Emerson]

Here is a link to an extremely up-to-date discussion about CITES with John Thomas & Fretboard Journal:

https://www.fretboardjournal.com/pod...s-john-thomas/

HE

[hat]

This is a subject we should all take to heart if we want our children and grandchildren to have a world worth living in. I'm not as concerned about the wood used by Martin, Taylor, etc as I am the PACRIM shops. They seem to crank out large quantities of whatever the 'species of the day' is...and just where do they source it from? By extension, ivory and even Abalone pearl are also endangered. This is one reason I have come to appreciate guitars with more natural, and local content. Walnut is making inroads as a good if not great tonewood. Maple is the same. A great guitar doesn't by necessity require the most exotic of tonewoods.