Global Witness has been working on forest issues on a country specific basis since its inception in 1995. Throughout 1995, Global Witness conducted ground breaking undercover investigations. Global Witness is leading the debate on illegal logging and conflict timber at an international policy level but at the same time continues to focus on individual countries building on its experiences in Cambodia. These countries include Cameroon where Global Witness is the official Independent Monitor, DRC, Liberia and Zimbabwe. Conflict timber is timber that has been traded at some point in the chain of custody by armed groups, be they rebel factions or regular soldiers, or by a civilian administration, or its representatives, involved in armed conflict, either to perpetuate conflict or take advantage of conflict situations for personal gain. Illegal logging is the felling of trees or the export of timber in contravention of domestic regulations or laws. Global Witness aims to:

• Obtain first-hand information and evidence documenting the issue and utilize vigorous campaigning techniques to achieve real and effective change;
• Change current corporate and government practices that result in an unregulated exploitation of resources, with an often-devastating impact on people and national/regional stability;
• Break the links between the exploitation of natural resources and the funding of conflict and corruption.
• Global Witness' forest team works together to eliminate the trade in conflict timber, to combat illegal logging and to prevent unsustainable forest practices.