A Swirl of Foreboding in Mahogany’s Grain

The towering mahogany tree has long been coveted for its color and strength. Now, fueled by international demand, trade in mahogany wood has become a multimillion-dollar industry that threatens large swaths of the Amazon rainforest. Logging of the wood far bypasses the stringent limits set by international regulations, raising fears that loggers operating outside legal areas will decimate the rainforest and endanger the existence of isolated indigenous groups. Brazil has recently cracked down on illegal logging, making Peru the world’s largest mahogany producer. Environmentalists and government officials wishing to preserve the rainforest and the commercial future of the tree have been stymied by rampant corruption inside the Peruvian agency that monitors natural resources. US consumers of mahogany furniture – whose purchases of the imported wood have multiplied 20-fold since 1992 – seem indifferent as to the origins of their shiny new mahogany furniture. ""I would say they don't really care," said one US furniture store salesman. "They just want a good product." – YaleGlobal