Bolivian big leaf mahogany (swietenia macrophylla) threatened

The International Tropical Timber Association (ITTO) recently released its bi-weekly report on global timber prices.

One of the highlights of the report was a classification by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Bolivia's big leaf mahogany (swietenia macrophylla) as a "species of urgent concern". CITES recommended that Bolivia place a moratorium on its export.

We plant swietenia macrophylla because it is one of the world's most valuable woods, and native to Panama. With the prospect of lower supplies of mahogany in the marketplace, prices should increase and/or demand for an equivalent species should increase. We hope that this is part of a larger trend to conserve native stands of the big leaf mahogany.

This should also be good for Planting Empowerment investors because of the expected price increase in plantation-grown mahogany. Over the long term, the value of threatened species such as big leaf mahogany should continue to increase as the stocks in primary forests are depleted. Demand from Asia for the hardwood should stay healthy while supply diminishes, and investors who hold plantation Mahogany should be better off in the long run.