Drum Circle

For some companies, the illegal harvesting of wood from protected forests is a big business. Getting a low cost deal on a lot of wood means a huge profit in the pocket of the company, and no one in corporate America is going to argue about profits after the free fall that was and still is resulting from the economic recession. In this light, it's not surprising that instrument manufacturers are under the microscope for the illegal importation of protected woods. Most recently, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service raided Gibson Guitars under the suspicion that they had imported Madagascar Rosewood illegally, therefore violating the Lacey Act.

The Lacey Act was implemented in May of 2008 as a means of environmental protection for forests around the world, but also gives the US the authority to officially charge those individuals who violate this law. The Lacey Act protects any plants or products made from plants that are imported into the US by requiring the importer to fill out a declaration of value. This protection extends to illegally harvesting from protected forests, which is what Gibson is currently under investigation for. Officers raided Gibson's offices and removed paperwork, computers, wood, and guitars in order to properly conduct an investigation. The claim is that Gibson purchased Rosewood from Madagascar illegally, and re-routed the import of the wood through another country in order to get it into the USA undetected.

Deforestation is a serious problem in Madagascar. The country is currently involved in a political crisis that is causing mass unrest. It's unfortunate that so much turmoil is taking place in a country where over 80% of the species of plants and animals cannot be found anywhere else on earth. Over 90% of the forests in Madagascar have been wiped out, and those left are under hefty environmental protection laws. National parks are being shut down due to looters who are pillaging for rosewood and other prized woods.

Rosewood is a highly sought after material in guitars. It has a beautiful texture and a grain that makes it a visual stunner. Some say that the tone and resonance of a Rosewood guitar is superior to Mahogany. Given its popularity, it's no wonder that Gibson would be struggling to obtain it, although they have stated emphatically that they are simply part of a chain of purchasing and are fully cooperating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Gibson purchases from legal suppliers who are expected to follow all import and environmental laws when gaining their timber. The Rainforest Alliance has also backed up Gibson by stating that they are fully compliant and serious about legal wood.

Although the investigation is ongoing, it appears on the surface that the Gibson Company is going to be one of the first singled out to show the true power of the Lacey Act. It's the hope of environmentalists everywhere that this law decreases the rate of illegal harvesting and shows corporate America that destroying the environment for the sake of sales is not only wrong, but has serious consequences for those who violate it.

X8 Drums only works with environmentally friendly suppliers that can prove a Government certification process.

Labels: Environment, Lacey Act, Legally Certified Wood

Federal agents from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local police today seized wood, guitars, computers and boxes of files from Gibson Guitar's Massman Road manufacturing facility.

Gibson is being investigated for the illegal importation of Madagascar wood.

Importing illegal wood is no joke! With the recent passage of the Lacey Act importers bringing wood into this country that hasn't been harvested legally will face HUGE fines and serious trouble.


Read the full story

Labels: Environment, Lacey Act, Legally Certified Wood

It's a sad fact in our society that we all simply assume we are going to have unlimited global resources for our children and our children's children. Perhaps there is a feeling of not really caring, because the real issues with global warming are going to crop up long after we are gone from this earth. No matter how unimportant it may be to some, it is still our duty to preserve the earth for future generations. You might think twice about throwing a plastic bottle in the garbage or whether or not to drive your car to work, but did you ever think about how your favorite musical instrument came to be? Most instruments are made from wood, and it's our job as environmentally conscious people to question where that wood came from.

In keeping with this mindset, the US Department of Agriculture implemented the federal Lacey Act to assist in staving off deforestation. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which is a subset of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is the main organization that is executing The Lacey Act. The Lacey Act states that it is a 'federal criminal offense to import, sell or hold any product containing wood or plant material that was harvested in violation of any law in its country of origin'. The Act affects all imports of pianos and stringed instruments such as guitars or pianos. It's a huge wakeup call for those companies, whether in the US or abroad, that create instruments such as guitars, pianos, and drums. If the wood that the instrument is created from is illegally harvested, the construction of that instrument is a crime punishable by law.

With our current level of awareness regarding the impact of deforestation and global warming, it shouldn't have to come down to jail time in order to stop those who are illegally harvesting timber. Why would one choose to purchase illegally harvested wood as opposed to legally certified? It boils down to one word: cost. It's more expensive for companies to purchase wood that has been approved for purchase. Business is business, and a company must turn a profit to survive. Unfortunately, the environment is suffering due to their desire to create a big revenue stream.

Starting in 2010, these companies will be held accountable for their wood purchases. For each wood product that is brought into the country, the company must record the precise name of the wood and anything else used to create the product. In addition, they must state the country that the wood was purchased from. Although the Lacey Act currently controls the imports of pianos and stringed instruments, there is interest in expanding to other pieces such as wind musical instruments and drums. In a nutshell, the Lacey Act is going to make it very difficult for big companies to import illegally harvested wood products.

There are huge environmental benefits to using legal wood for musical instruments. Controlled logging cuts the rate of deforestation by removing only certain trees and encouraging new tree growth. When lumber is legally harvested, new trees are planted to replace the ones taken away. It's a win-win system for the environment, and one that must not be tampered with.

Our musical instruments become treasured possessions. The next time you are strumming your guitar or tickling the ivories of your beloved piano, take a minute to consider where your instrument came from. You'll feel a lot better about playing it if you know that the path it took to get to you was a green one.

Labels: Environment, Lacey Act, Legally Certified Wood