One of Latvia's leading wood-processing companies, “Stiga RM”, has joined the World Forest ID initiative, which aims to build an international database for determining the origin of birch plywood in the laboratory. The project brings together European birch plywood manufacturers and is aimed at identifying sanctioned and smuggled timber and excluding it from the European Union (EU) market.

The World Forest ID database is being built on the basis of extensive sample collection and isotope analysis, which makes it possible to determine with high accuracy the geographical origin of birch, that is, where the raw material used to make the plywood came from. The project is currently in its second phase, during which regions for which no data were previously available are being surveyed, including Kazakhstan, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. This geographical expansion will significantly improve the database's effectiveness in identifying breaches of sanctions.

Integrating scientific testing methods as part of the sanctions enforcement mechanism provides a robust, data-based instrument that will help both market participants and supervisory authorities to verify the origin of birch plywood. This strengthens control over the movement of timber materials and protects legal supply chains.

The project was discussed at length at the annual general meeting of the European Panel Federation (EPF) in Berlin, which also hosted a meeting of the EPF plywood product group.

“Legislation alone cannot prevent sanctioned plywood from reaching the market – purposeful action is needed to curb these flows effectively. As an EPF member, we are actively involved in the World Forest ID project, working not only on building the database but also on educating customers about methods for verifying the origin of timber. In Poland, for example, it was precisely manufacturers' own initiative in informing customers about the use of sanctioned plywood and its consequences that cut the volume of smuggling by more than 50% within a year. By combining such a proactive approach with scientifically grounded testing methods such as World Forest ID, countries will have access to an effective instrument for substantially strengthening control and protecting the legal market,” says Viesturs Krēvics, director of the “Stiga RM” plywood factory in Kuldīga.

Sample collection and further development of the database are expected to continue until the end of this year, but even now the solution makes it possible to determine the origin of birch plywood from the range of samples available. Analysis results are prepared within ten days, making World Forest ID a practical instrument for protecting the market and ensuring transparency in supply chains, and thereby promoting fair and sustainable development of the industry.