>>1513333Falsifying wood is a common and lucrative black market activity.
For example, the Japanese timber market values cedar or pine poles with tight rings and no knots, as they are used in temple construction and as a ceremonial fixture in houses. These poles come from the Japanese cedar or pine native to the region, which grow incredibly slowly.
HOWEVER, by continually cutting the limbs off of a tree, you artificially force it to slow its growth by way of restricting its ability to conduct photosynthesis, meaning it will have tighter rings and smaller knots. After these fake trees grow for a few years, they are harvested and sold as authentic Japanese cedar or pine poles for an extremely high markup.
Wood is also commonly stolen from private lands and reserves and sold in larger deals overseas, as there is no reliable way to track bull timber.
Instrument wood from Africa is tightly controlled and often equipped with RFID trackers in order to verify authenticity and legitimacy, as it is considered on par with ivory and rare bird feathers in terms of international regulation and punishment. Bulk Douglas-fir or Eucalyptus? Steal and ship those logs all day, nobody can prove anything.
