Tracking the Value of Oak: Illegal Timber Supply Chains from the Russian Far East
In a visual representation of EIA’s multi-year investigation of illegally harvested timber from the Russian Far East (RFE), we track the value of Mongolian Oak as it moves along the supply chain–from biodiverse forests in the Russian Far East, through manufacturing sites in China, and ultimately to retailers in the U.S. At every stage of the supply chain, black market actors profit from the vast quantities of oak that pass through their hands, while little to none of the true value of old-growth trees remains in local communities or is reinvested in proper forest management in Russia. This illegal trade undervalues the old-growth oak, with U.S. consumers ultimately paying the price for this illegal activity. You can help stop this devastating trade by supporting enforcement efforts like the Lacey Act and demanding that suppliers source only legal, sustainable, and traceable timber and wood products.
Send a message to call for stronger protections against illegal logging by visiting the Sierra Club's website.
To learn more about the Lacey Act:
Read our Lacey Act FAQ.
Watch the latest video about the Lacey Act, "What do Siberian Tigers and American forestry workers have in common?"
Visit the Lacey Act website of the United State Animal and Plant Health Inspection Unit (APHIS).