PC18 participants met in 13 working groups throughout the day. The working groups discussed draft recommendations for the consideration of the PC, including on: the modus operandi for the terms of reference for the evaluation of the RST; removal of Welwitschia mirabilis and some Euphorbia spp. from Appendix II; using Pericopsis elata and Prunus africana as case studies for the evaluation of the RST; and identifying principles and further developing criteria and indicators to perform NDFs.
The working group on RST deferred some discussions to plenary, including on the proposed removal of bigleaf mahogany in Peru from the RST, and WWF and TRAFFIC’s proposal to re-enter Aquilaria and Gyrinops species into the RST in light of Indonesia’s large increase in published export quotas for 2009. The working group on cedar heard presentations on measures to support sustainable harvesting and agreed that Cedrela odorata does not merit an Appendix II listing at this stage.
