This report presents the results of a project that aimed to develop biometric techniques for identifying and tracing oak logs. The project’s primary goal is to combat the illegal timber trade by ensuring the reliable traceability of logs.
The document details the various methods that were explored, including the analysis of growth rings, wood texture and other physical characteristics that are unique to each tree. These techniques enable a unique ‘fingerprint’ to be created for each log, facilitating its identification throughout the supply chain.
The results obtained demonstrate that the developed biometric approaches offer significant accuracy in identifying oak logs. However, the report also highlights certain challenges, such as the natural variability of wood characteristics and the need to standardise protocols for large-scale application.