On Wednesday, February 14th, brazilian police seized over 350,000 cubic feet of illegally ctut-down Amazonian lumber. The lumber was seized in lumberyards in the town of Tailandia, Brazil. Another seziure of higher magnitude is also expected by the end of next week Brazilian authorities stated. This “crackdown” is due largely to the sharp rise of deforestation reported in the Amazon at the end of 2007. This rise in deforestation was the first after a three year decline. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has requested for more inspectors to be sent to the region as well as federal police. The President has also requested that more than 80,000 people re-register their land with the government in order to keep tabs on deforestation sites. Eight of Brazil’s 26 states were involved with the crackdown on illegal lumberyards in the south as well as lumber shipments.”The seizure is a clear indication that things have improved in terms of inspection and control mechanisms,” Greenpeace’s Marcelo Marquesini said. “But there is still a long way to go.“

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/14/america/LA-GEN-Brazil-Amazon-Seizure.php