According to Mata, residents are alarmed not only by illegal logging, but also by what they fear: a resurgence of plans to dismantle the area that the Pala`wan have been fighting for decades. “The spirit with which the SEP Act was introduced is one of conservation, not use,” said Chan of PNNI, an environmental lawyer. “That`s why their goal was to introduce a total ban on logging in Palawan. If this objective is not achieved by the projects currently being pursued by the government, then something is wrong. Palawan is primarily an agricultural and tribal community, making it a tourism and mining industry contradicts its well-known culture and heritage. “We are worried about the idea that our mountain will be destroyed and our children will not be able to inherit it,” said Chief Pala`wan, a father of two. “If only I could do justice in my hands, I would do it to stop him.” To address this issue, the Ghana Forestry Commission (GFC) and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources have created a database where landowners can register the trees they plant and prove their right to harvest. The GFC will then verify the information through field visits. The policy change contributes to the clarification of land use rights and will be rolled out nationally this year. This is one of the few changes to the Forest Act that will help Ghana meet its AFR100 restoration target of 2 million hectares. Governments must balance policies that require legal and sustainable management of forest resources with legal requirements that landowners can reasonably meet. Otherwise, restoration commitments will be difficult to achieve and illegal timber could continue to account for between 15 and 30 percent of the total international timber market. For them, Domadoway is a gift from ancestors who give again and again, because in addition to wild food, medicinal herbs and water, they also depend on subsistence crops grown by slash-and-burn agriculture.

One of the most egregious examples is the case of Henoch Budi Setiawan (commonly known as Ming Ho), owner and director of CV Alco Timber Irian and CV Sorong Timber Irian, who found themselves in court when his companies were involved in DG Gakkum operations in December 2018 and January 2019 and were involved in the possession of 81 seized shipping containers of illegal merbau. A valuable hardwood species threatened with extinction. However, in July 2020, the Supreme Court reduced his prison sentence to two years and ordered that he be returned up to 1,936 m3 of illegal timber, which is estimated at around $1.6 million and significantly higher than his fine. Existing mines have caused environmental damage that has impacted communities. Widespread violations of the law and the killing of a local broadcaster fueled a nationwide call to save Palawan from mining, with the petition garnering 10 million signatures. Another stumbling block to restoration is the lack of enforcement of illegal logging laws, resulting in unfair competition for operators producing legal timber on restored land. An analysis of Costa Rican teak planted on restored land found that landowners received only 4% of the profits along the teak value chain over a 17-year period. Since those who harvest teak illegally do not pay the taxes and fees paid by legal operators, they have lower production and transaction costs. Sustainable wood suppliers struggle to compete, prompting plantation owners to compromise on respect for forests. Abu Meridian, Executive Director of KT, said: “It is frustrating that DG Gakkum is doing so much to crack down on those who trade illegal timber, but it seems that the courts are undermining much of the work.

While the animist Pala`wan believe that the Tau`t Kekeywan are powerful spirits who can protect Domadoway from outside forces, Mata says that times are changing and they will not leave the matter to fate. Determined to stand on his own, he said the Pala`wan would continue their fight against mining. In addition, more than 50 companies clearly affected by DG Gakkum`s raid on illegal mining trade, mainly for parquet floors and stairwells, have not been sanctioned. Governments need the support of private landowners and community groups to deliver on their restoration promises. Some governments are innovative programs that encourage landowners to restore their land by growing and harvesting wood and other forest products. In many cases, forest management through small-scale timber plantations on restored land can be a long-term investment in the economy and the environment. Old trees can be selectively harvested and replaced to ensure carbon and soil remain in place and provide landowners with a consistent income. Although illegal logging occurs in many parts of the world, much of it is concentrated in the tropics, where valuable hardwoods are used to make items such as furniture, cabinets, and other architectural woodwork. In 2008, Congress passed amendments to the Lacey Act, a centuries-old law that combats the illegal trade in plants and wildlife, shutting down the entire U.S. market for illegally sourced timber. And for restoration to work for landowners, illegal logging cannot.

Governments should address illegal logging and adopt strict laws to limit it. Every year, up to $152 billion in revenue is lost. Restoration can help meet the growing demand for timber without destroying forests, but only if legal frameworks punish illegal producers and adequately reward landowners who revitalize their land. “The Ministry of Environment and Forestry deserves praise for its efforts to stop illegal logging, but we still need to point out the failures – not only in court, but also the persistent weaknesses in the county`s timber legality verification system. Our example from the beginning is linked to a Guatemalan law of 1997 that prohibits the harvesting of wood within 25 meters of a river to prevent soil erosion and water pollution.