A product-based analysis of rosewood trafficking in Madagascar

Rich in tropical hardwood species, the forests of Madagascar remain a key source of high-value timber for international markets despite a complete ban on their export. There is a lack of understanding about how these markets operate and this study seeks to address this gap in knowledge through the lens of crime science. This research applies a product-based approach to analyse the supply chain dynamics for the trafficking of rosewood species from Makira Natural Park, a key source site in Madagascar. Data was collected through focused workshops and field observations in Madagascar between August 2024 and January 2025. Crime script analysis was used as a conceptual framework to examine the illicit supply chain for rosewoods from harvest to consumption. Rosewood trafficking from Makira Natural Park is highly organised and concentrated along a small number of routes and connected nodes, defined by the topographical characteristics of the landscape. We identified nine processing hubs surrounding the protected area linked directly to rosewood source sites by natural paths such as rivers. The findings reveal that organised timber trafficking groups are defined by the physical environmental and rely on specialist roles along the supply chain. This study identifies key intervention pinch points along the supply chain and uses situational crime prevention techniques to provide recommendations for policy and practice.