A US Department of Defense study suggests that timber from domestic red oak could have a service life up to five times longer than imported wood products.
The US Army and Navy use large volumes of South-East Asian tropical timber, including Shorea and Apitong wood, in the manufacture of flooring boards and platforms. That could change, as US government agencies have launched an investigation into timber imports. The United States and the European Union are planning to restrict exports of Shorea and Apitong timber by adding both species to the list of endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Shortly before the US introduced tariffs on all timber imports, Malaysian and Indonesian timber traders are facing the prospect of a double blow that could have a serious impact on the already badly affected South-East Asian timber trade with the US and the European Union.
A representative of the Malaysian Timber Exporters Association, Wong Kar Wai, warns that two tree species widely used by the US armed forces in the manufacture of flooring boards – Shorea and Apitong – could be added to the list of endangered species covered by CITES.
“Keruing and Shorea are tree species whose timber is used mainly to make flooring boards. The US is the largest market for this timber. The main buyer is the US armed forces, which use Keruing wood for the floors of lorries and tanks because it is exceptionally durable and has very well-suited technical properties. The US now wants to focus more on using domestic timber, and in particular to expand the use of red oak,” says Kar Wai, commenting on the situation. “As a result, discussions are under way about adding Keruing to the CITES list, which could restrict its trade still further and affect exporters, particularly those in Malaysia,” he stressed to SunBiz at the “Export Furniture Exhibition 2025”. “Although the timber is certified as sustainable, there are two serious problems – the new US tariffs and the possibility that this tree species will be listed under CITES.”
Are Europeans and Americans using the CITES list as a barrier to the timber trade?
In a letter to members, the president of the Malaysian Timber Exporters Association (TEAM), Chua Song Fong, said that the “listing” initiative is being driven by European and North American special interests. Shorea species (including Balau, Red Meranti, Yellow Meranti and White Meranti) and Apitong would be subject to a series of strict export restrictions.
The vote on listing the Shorea species is scheduled for the CITES CoP20 conference in Uzbekistan, which runs from 24 November to 5 December. Given the impact of this initiative on domestic industry, TEAM and the Malaysian Timber Council have already approached the Malaysian government, the Ministry of Plantation and Commodities and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability.
According to the representative of the Malaysian Timber Exporters Association, the initiative to list Shorea and Apitong under CITES is motivated mainly by self-interest, as the US is said to be particularly keen to promote the use of domestic tree species rather than imports: “Even though Shorea and Apitong timber is harvested sustainably and is certified, potential trade restrictions can be expected for this wood, with conservation requirements given as the reason. Since these tree species are found in Malaysia and Indonesia, stakeholders should challenge these claims and ensure that sustainable practices in the countries concerned are recognised.”
Does American red oak outperform South-East Asian trees?
On 27 January this year, the US hardwood timber industry body, the Hardwood Federation, sent a letter to the US Fish and Wildlife Service urging it to lobby for the listing of the Apitong tree species under CITES. The letter argued that listing Apitong would prevent unsustainable logging and would be consistent with the concerns about compliance with conservation requirements expressed by the US government's Council on Environmental Quality and the General Services Administration.
“Protecting the Apitong species is essential for conserving the environment and maintaining the sustainability of international trade,” stressed a Hardwood Federation representative, noting that red oak grown in the US is well suited to replacing Apitong wood in military trailer platforms and vehicle floors.
The letter also states that the US Department of Defense is developing a red oak trailer floor prototype as part of a wide-ranging timber research initiative run in cooperation with Michigan Technological University, the US Department of Agriculture's Forest Products Laboratory, the Hardwood Federation and other partners. With the help of specialists from the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Defense is studying how thermally modified structural timber can be used in military projects.
The new red oak flooring prototype lasts five times longer than one made from Apitong wood, reducing the need for frequent replacement. The carbon footprint is also reduced overall, while domestic wood processing and sustainable forest management in the US are supported at the same time.
“As part of these changes, the National Defense Authorization Act now classifies Apitong as an endangered species and calls for a switch to US-sourced red oak timber for trailer platforms and the manufacture of vehicle flooring boards. Apitong timber obtained by logging tropical rainforests is not sustainable. A bipartisan group of senators in the US has called on the Department of Defense to speed up the transition, highlighting the ecological advantages of North American red oak.
Europe turns its attention to Shorea species
The European Union is also preparing for the CITES CoP20 conference. As part of those preparations, the European Union's Scientific Review Group is examining the conservation status of important tropical tree species such as Balau, Red Meranti, Yellow Meranti and White Meranti.
In a dedicated letter, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment noted that these species are widely traded and that the European Union is considering whether to include them in Appendix II to CITES in order to help protect them from overexploitation. Appendix II covers species that are not currently threatened with extinction but “may become so” if trade is not properly regulated.
European Union representatives said there is growing concern that these tree species are already disappearing rapidly. According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 65% of these species are threatened and 86% of them are in decline. The main reason is excessive logging of these species, which in turn is driven by high demand.
UN Comtrade trade data for 2014-2024 show that at least 5.3 million cubic metres of meranti products were sold worldwide. The European Union was one of the main buyers. “This raises serious concerns about the future availability of these species and the need for tighter trade controls,” the report states.
In order to reach an informed decision, the European Union has asked the timber-producing countries – Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand – for information on the volume of trade in the tree species concerned. By 29 November this year, these countries are invited to answer six questions on timber trade volumes, monitoring, laws, sustainable forest management, plantations and illegal logging.