Florianópolis, November 6, 2002 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The Public Prosecutors Office of Santa Catarina, together with state agencies, labor unions, and lumbermen's associations, inaugurated this Tuesday (5), in Lages, the Sustainable Forest Utilization Program. The object is to harmonize economic development and environmental protection, through the regulation of economic activities and the reinforcement of inspection to impede illegal trade, industrialization, and transport of timber removed from native forests.

Santa Catarina is the third largest producer of cellulose and paper in Brazil, and it is the largest national producer and exporter of wooden furniture, responsible for 42% of Brazil's exports in this sector. The wood sector accounts for US$ 256 million in annual exports and is the most labor-intensive, generating around 226 thousand jobs. (DAS)