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CITES:
Protecting Wild Plants, Encouraging Conservation
(Continued
from previous
page)
How Does CITES Work?
CITES establishes protocol for regulating the international
trade of plants and animals that have been scientifically demonstrated
to be in danger of extinction. Each member nation or party to
the convention must designate a scientific authority responsible
for evaluating research on potentially threatened species, as
well as a management authority to administer the various bureaucratic
efforts needed to enforce the treaty. A directory of registered
agencies is available from the CITES Secretariat.
Under CITES, endangered species are ranked in one of three
categories, according to their risk of extinction. The first
category (Appendix I) includes species that are currently "threatened
with extinction." Trade in Appendix I species is the most heavily
restricted, requiring both an export permit from the country
of origin as well as an import permit from the country of destination.
It is important to note that CITES does not permit the importation
of wild plants or animals for commercial purposes if they are
listed on Appendix I. However, CITES will re-designate Appendix
I plants under Appendix II if they are cultivated rather than
collected from the wild. In these instances, the management
authority for the country of origin is required to inspect the
facilities where the plant is cultivated. In addition, all nurseries
must be registered with both the national authority and the
CITES Secretariat.
The second category of plants, listed in Appendix II, includes
species that are "not necessarily threatened with extinction
at this time but may become so if not carefully monitored."
Regulations governing trade of these species are slightly less
stringent than those for Appendix I plants. One major difference
for Appendix II plants is that the management authority in the
country of origin is not required to guarantee that there is
an import permit in the destination port. The exports (both
export permits and the "actual export") are monitored carefully
by the scientific authority to prevent further risk of extinction
and the necessity of moving the plant to Appendix I. When there
is a significant decline in the wild population of the species,
the scientific authority "shall advise the appropriate Management
Authority of suitable measures to be taken to limit the grant
of export permits for specimens of that species."
The third and final category of species, listed in Appendix
III, includes plants that individual nations wish to regulate
through international cooperation in order to prevent or restrict
their exploitation. These regulations are the least stringent.
The importation of Appendix III plants requires prior presentation
of a certificate of origin. When the import is from a state
that has included the species in Appendix III, an export permit
is also needed. Note that scientific approval is not required
to import or export plant species listed on Appendix III.
How Is CITES Enforced?
Nations that are part of CITES are required to take necessary
steps to comply with the agreement. There are several ways in
which the treaty is enforced. The CITES Secretariat collects
information about national compliance and distributes it publicly.
There have also been some efforts by non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) to monitor the enforcement of CITES. One such NGO is
TRAFFIC, a collaborative effort of the World Wide Fund For Nature
(WWF) and IUCN. If a party to CITES has a particular issue with
another nation about its enforcement procedures, negotiations
take place at the biannual Conference of the Parties.
Enforcement Challenges
Unfortunately, the CITES agreement is not always enforced to
the fullest degree. One problem is that many collectors and
brokers in the botanical industry are not fully aware of the
CITES agreement and how it applies to them. Many people are
familiar with regulations concerning trade in endangered animal
species but are not aware that endangered plants, including
those used as medicines, are also regulated. In addition, some
unscrupulous producers, traders, and consumers may intentionally
circumvent the law in order to exploit the economic rewards
of trade in rare commodities. For example, some companies may
choose to trade purified extracts or isolated chemicals derived
from endangered species listed in CITES (rather than crude plant
or animal material), an activity that is legal but still harmful
to endangered species.
Protecting our Botanical Heritage
With international support at all levels, CITES may continue
to be one of the most effective means of conserving botanical
resources. Organizations and individuals involved in the herb
industry should encourage efforts to strengthen the CITES agreement,
respecting regulations and educating their peers and associates
about its value and scope. Lastly, CITES may provide a strong
incentive to expand the cultivation of medicinal plants, providing
a sustainable source of botanical resources.
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Coming soon! A-SNAPP Update Goes to Print 