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The Lacey Act and Legal Hardwood Importing
Ipe Woods USA is fully compliant with the U.S. Lacey Act, ensuring every board we sell is legally harvested, transported, and imported.
What is the Lacey Act?
The Lacey Act is a United States law that bans trafficking in illegal wildlife, fish, and plants. In 2008, the Act was amended to include a wider variety of plants and plant products, including timber and paper. It is a powerful tool in the fight against illegal logging worldwide.
Legal Accountability
The Lacey Act makes it unlawful to import, export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any plant that was taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of any underlying law.
Due Care
Importers are required to exercise "due care" to ensure their supply chains are clean. We go above and beyond to verify the legality of every shipment we receive.
How We Ensure Compliance
Complying with the Lacey Act requires a deep understanding of our supply chain and rigorous documentation. Here is how we enforce due care:
- Supplier Audits: When buying directly, we thoroughly vet suppliers to ensure they follow all local and national forestry laws.
- Detailed Declarations: For every import, we file a Plant and Plant Product Declaration (PPQ 505) detailing the scientific name, value, quantity, and country of harvest.
- Traceability: We maintain a chain of custody from the forest concession to the sawmill, and finally to the port of export.
- Customs Cooperation: We work closely with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to clear our shipments smoothly and legally.
Why This Matters to You
Illegal logging devastates ecosystems, undercuts responsible businesses, and funds organized crime. By strictly adhering to the Lacey Act, Ipe Woods USA ensures that the money you spend on your deck supports legal economies and sustainable forestry practices in South America, not illegal deforestation.