- After a coup in March 2009, Madagascar’s leaders legalized exports of the nearly extinct rosewood tree. They reversed the law earlier this year but cutting continues.
- Rosewood is used in furniture and musical instruments
- $3.5 billion: value of all kinds of illegal wood shipped to the U.S. through China (much originating from Madagascar).
- 90%: the amount of original forest already gone in Madagascar.
- 100,000 rosewood trees cut down in 2009. Gibson Guitars is currently under investigation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for possibly using the illegal wood.
From Fortune
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