GTTN supports a pilot study on Sapelli, a tropical tree species from which reference data developed with different timber identification methods are already available (DNA, stable isotopes, DART TOFMS). The meeting in Wageningen will be a closed (invitation only) workshop with those experts who developed reference data on Sapelli and the leaders of the respective task forces in the GTTN Working Group on Standardization.
The goal of the meeting is to anticipate the increasing demand for timber checks and the need for a reliable expert database:
- By reflection on the strengths and limitations of the different timber tracking methods via a case study evaluating the potential of combining and selecting methods for user-friendly timber identification
- By drafting guidelines to facilitate such potential method combinations, to ensure the reputation of timber tracking, to support early researchers and to speed up building a reference database for the new tools
Envisioned output:
- Identification of strengths and weaknesses of the different timber identification methods and of the potential to combine methods
- Draft lists of preconditions for reference and test samples for the different methods and draft sampling guidelines
- Drafts for any other guidelines (method-specific or general) that were concluded to be necessary (how to combine methods, how to analyse or interpret data etc.)
- Draft user’s manual for the expert database (when to use which method)
After the workshop, the prepared drafts will be sent to the WG1 task force members for further development and finalization.