ISM, MU and ABO to survey impact of CITES change

The Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM), the Musicians’ Union (MU) and the Association of British Orchestras (ABO) have launched a survey into the impact of a change to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which would see the movement of Pernambuco wood between countries become more difficult.

If approved, this change could require string players to procure a permit to travel internationally with their bows, as well as restricting the manufacture of new bows. As well as releasing a joint statement, the group of organisations have also launched a survey to gain a better idea of how many musicians could be affected.

The proposal, made by Brazil for consideration at a meeting of the Conference of the Parties Panama City in November 2022, asks that Paubrasilia echinate (Pernambuco wood) be moved from its current position in Appendix II to Appendix I of the convention which signifies that the species is threatened with extinction and trade or movement of its specimens is permitted only in exceptional circumstances.

The proposal aims to combat the illegal trade of Pernambuco wood, and states that ‘In the last five years, investigations by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and the Federal Police have shown that the Brazilian industry has been using prohibited native wood to supply the growing international market for bows for musical instruments in the USA, Europe, and Asia.’

The document also points to ‘a significant increase in forest loss in the states of Pernambuco (569%), Alagoas (302%), Rio de Janeiro (95%), Bahia (54%)’ as ‘a real threat to Paubrasilia echinata.’

The document therefore claims that: ‘It is necessary to repress these criminal activities by rigorously increasing control of international trade of these woods.’ However, the ISM argues that ‘these proposals would have far-reaching consequences for both musicians and bow makers’ as musicians would need to prove the legality of the wood in their bows, which can be difficult. The ISM has confirmed it will be lobbying the UK government for exemptions to allow legal trade in bows to continue.

Previous approaches to this issue by the classical music industry have included a campaign by RAIN Network project Trees of Music to raise money for the planting of 50,000 Pernambuco trees and the regeneration of the species' endangered habitat.