Your points are well taken. Just like the demand for illegal drugs in this country feeds corruption in other countries, so does the demand for tropical wood products. If everyone would think about where the things they buy come from and how they're produced some parts of the world might not be getting so screwed up. In a small way this is on topic for a kayak BB.

: I would agree that certification can be corrupt.

: My point was that if you want to force real change in these countries you
: have to set priorities. I think energy should be spent trying to attack
: 90% of a problem not 10% of the problem.

: For sake of argument, lets say that the okoume logs can't be sold. I don't
: think the trees stand -- I think they are cut and burned for fuel or slash
: and burn for agriculture.

: Americans need to realize that we exploited our natural resources when we
: were growing, these other countries are doing the same. We just need to
: help them get to a developed stage earlier so they don't make the
: pioneering mistakes.

: I grew up the Midwest. How much native prairie is left? Buffalo?