In June 2007, the international community considered an endangered species proposal that could have required musicians to obtain special customs permits before traveling internationally with instruments made with certain types of Brazilian wood—including pernambuco wood commonly used in crafting fine bows and other instrument parts. The League partnered with U.S. bow makers, NAMM: The International Music Products Association, and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) to successfully protect the ability of orchestras to travel internationally with their instruments. At the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), negotiators settled on adding the tree to the endangered species list, but applying the listing only to "logs, sawn wood, veneer sheets...," specifying that finished bows that are transported internationally would not be subject to cumbersome CITES permit and certification requirements.
Exemption Approved for Travel with Bows
A letter from the U.S. Department of the Interior officially confirms that finished bows made of pernambuco wood can be transported across international borders. The letter can be helpful for musicians to carry while traveling with bows as they pass through customs.
Conservation Efforts Essential
While musicians will continue to be able to travel with their bows, it is important to note that the issue of conserving the pernambuco tree remains. CITES will be closely monitoring the status of the pernambuco forests in the two years leading up to the next convention of international parties. To preserve the ability of musicians to travel with their bows—and to sustain the long-term viability of this important natural resource—orchestras can participate in the conservation effort.
Visit the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative web site