Global Timber Tracking Network - The timber tracking tool infogram: Overview of wood identification methods' capacity

This is a guide to choose the best timber traceability verification method in the context of fighting against international illegal timber trade. The methods covered are 1) wood anatomy; 2) genetics; 3) stable isotopes; 4) direct analysis in real time - time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DART TOFMS); 5) near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS); 6) Machine visio

Global Timber Tracking Network General sampling guide: Development of international standards andGTTN database

RationaleThis is a guide for the collection of reference samples of trees to enable theidentification of species and/or geographical origin of woody material. It is anupdate of the sampling section of the GTTN standards and guidelines (Ekué 2014)and builds further on a discussion initiated during a workshop held in Hamburg atthe Thünen Institute for Wood Research in 2014. If you are looking for support onhow to collect test samples, see the UNODC guide (UNODC 2016).To enable the implementation of the different laws regulating the trade in illegalwood, reference databases for various timber tracking tools are urgently needed forat least the most traded and endangered tree species. The Global Timber TrackingNetwork (GTTN) is building a central database where not only the reference data canbe stored but which will also function as a sample locator. Having a commonsampling guide will facilitate meaningful exchange of samples.In addition, to optimise the use of wood/wood product identification (taxonomicidentity or geographic origin) in support of law enforcement, the guide anticipatesupcoming developments to combine (Paredes Villanueva 2018) different timberidentification methods (Dormontt et al. 2015, Lowe et al. 2016) such as woodanatomy (Koch and Schmitt 2015, Helmling et al. 2018), DNA-based methods(Jolivet and Degen 2012, Blanc-Jolivet et al. 2018, Chaves et al. 2018), stable isotopes(Paredes-Villanueva et al. in preparation, Vlam et al. 2018), DART TOFMS (Lancasterand Espinoza 2012, Espinoza et al. 2015, Deklerck et al. 2017, Paredes-Villanueva et al.2018) and NIRS (Pastore et al. 2011, Bergo et al. 2016, Snel et al. 2018). This samplingguide is written to make sharing of samples between researchers specialised indifferent timber tracking methods possible, as samples should ideally come from thesame location in the tree, from the same individual and from well-identified treeswhen combining methods.This guide is intended for scientists, to provide all the information needed to getthe most out of sampling campaigns for timber identification purposes. Thisinformation should allow setting up a sampling protocol adapted to the specific goalof the research project, the conditions of the sampling area and the background ofthe people who will do the sampling. Note that this guide is to collect referencesamples and hence relatively high amounts of samples from different individuals areneeded to take the variability of a species into account. Once reference data havebeen developed for a tree species for one or more identification methods, however,only one sample of an unidentified wooden object is often sufficient to determine itsidentity.This is a guide for the collection of reference samples of trees to enable theidentification of species and/or geographical origin of woody material. It is anupdate of the sampling section of the GTTN standards and guidelines (Ekué 2014)and builds further on a discussion initiated during a workshop held in Hamburg atthe Thünen Institute for Wood Research in 2014. If you are looking for support onhow to collect test samples, see the UNODC guide (UNODC 2016).To enable the implementation of the different laws regulating the trade in illegalwood, reference databases for various timber tracking tools are urgently needed forat least the most traded and endangered tree species. The Global Timber TrackingNetwork (GTTN) is building a central database where not only the reference data canbe stored but which will also function as a sample locator. Having a commonsampling guide will facilitate meaningful exchange of samples.In addition, to optimise the use of wood/wood product identification (taxonomicidentity or geographic origin) in support of law enforcement, the guide anticipatesupcoming developments to combine (Paredes Villanueva 2018) different timberidentification methods (Dormontt et al. 2015, Lowe et al. 2016) such as woodanatomy (Koch and Schmitt 2015, Helmling et al. 2018), DNA-based methods(Jolivet and Degen 2012, Blanc-Jolivet et al. 2018, Chaves et al. 2018), stable isotopes(Paredes-Villanueva et al. in preparation, Vlam et al. 2018), DART TOFMS (Lancasterand Espinoza 2012, Espinoza et al. 2015, Deklerck et al. 2017, Paredes-Villanueva et al.2018) and NIRS (Pastore et al. 2011, Bergo et al. 2016, Snel et al. 2018). This samplingguide is written to make sharing of samples between researchers specialised indifferent timber tracking methods possible, as samples should ideally come from thesame location in the tree, from the same individual and from well-identified treeswhen combining methods.This guide is intended for scientists, to provide all the information needed to getthe most out of sampling campaigns for timber identification purposes. Thisinformation should allow setting up a sampling protocol adapted to the specific goalof the research project, the conditions of the sampling area and the background ofthe people who will do the sampling. Note that this guide is to collect referencesamples and hence relatively high amounts of samples from different individuals areneeded to take the variability of a species into account. Once reference data havebeen developed for a tree species for one or more identification methods, however,only one sample of an unidentified wooden object is often sufficient to determine itsidentity

Overview of current practices in data analysis for wood identification. A guide for the different timber tracking methods

Today we have five types of timber tracking tools available. Each has its ownstrengths and limitations (see the Timber Tracking Tool Infogram), but togetherthey offer a broad range of methods that can assist us in identifying the botanical aswell as the geographic origin (provenance) of most kinds of timber samples, eventhose smaller than 1 cm³.With this guide we want to provide an overview of the current best-practicemethods used to analyse data derived from different wood identification methods,while presenting their respective strengths and limitations. We give advice on dataanalysis, from the development of reference data, through to the verification ofidentity and provenance of unknown samples against the reference database. We endwith an expert view on combining methods for wood identification and discusshow timber identification possibilities could expand in the future.The guide is meant for all researchers doing identification work to support regularlaw enforcement measures, initiatives for transparent supply chains, andcontinued scientific research. Undertaking forensic casework is qualitativelydifferent from undertaking scientific research (UNODC 2016)1. To support court cases,the chain of custody of evidence material must be tracked and reference materialmust be valid. How to fulfil all requirements for forensic timber identification will notbe discussed here. Instead, we refer to the best practice guide of the UNODC (2016)and the standards and guidelines of the Society for Wildlife Forensic Sciences.We hope that this guide will be a first step towards the harmonisation of dataanalysis procedures within the global network of wood identification experts; andwill facilitate collaborations, further innovations, and ensure reliable timber trackingmethods