Myanmar: Extinction Looms as Notorious Rosewood Loggers Set Sights on Burma Species, Group Warns

Jun 24, 2014 | Paul Vrieze, The Irrawaddy
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RANGOON — Burmese tree species tamalan and padauk are disappearing at an extremely rapid pace as Chinese traders have begun targeting their high-value wood, and the species could be logged to extinction in Burma within as little as three years, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has warned.

Voracious Chinese demand for so-called rosewood species used to make “Hongmu” luxury furniture has set rosewood prices soaring in the past five years, giving rise to an illegal and aggressive trade in Mekong region countries.