Post-CITES CoP20
The CITES CoP20 decision to maintain Pernambuco’s Appendix II status—but with more stringent rules for its use by shops and makers—means that there is still much work ahead.
The Alliance views this important decision as a new beginning—the beginning of meaningful, collaborative, effective steps into a brighter future for conservation and for all involved in music who rely on natural resources.
Preliminary
Updates
December 5, 2025 | Press release no. 574 from Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Progress in the international conservation of Brazilwood—Joint Note MRE/MMA/MinC [gov.br: Portuguese, English, and others…note that translation feature does not take into account regional differences in date notation.]
December 5, 2025 | Brief overview of CITES decision, the new rules of which to go into effect in 90 days. [PDF: English]
December 16, 2025 | Updated Pernambuco Policies and Conservation article from the League of American Orchestras [English]
Preparing for November 2025 (CITES CoP20)
The 185 global Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) are presently preparing their policy goals for the November 24 – December 5, 2025, 20th meeting of the Conference of Parties (CoP20), where next steps regarding pernambuco will be decided.
You can engage in this process by educating yourself and others with the materials below and by contacting your national representatives.
On June 27, 2025, Brazil asked CITES to move pernambuco from Appendix II to Appendix I.
Update, December 5, 2025: Agreement Reached on New Rules for Bow Owners! Read a brief overview of the CITES CoP20 Decision on Pernambuco
CITES
Documents
Notification to the Parties
No. 2025/076
November 14, 2025 | CoP20 info docs submitted to CITES
1) Musical Instruments and Annotations
[PDF: English | Portuguese | Spanish | French ]
2) CITES Musical Instrument Certificate
[PDF: English | Portuguese | Spanish | French ]
3) CoP20, Prop 46 and Doc. 97: Paubrasilia echinata, Conservation and Music
[PDF: English | Portuguese | Spanish | French ]
September 26, 2025 | Call-to-Action [PDF: English] | sample music sector letter template [DOCX: English]
September 17, 2025 | US public comments submitted to USF&W [PDF: English]
July 18, 2025 | Musical Sector Stakeholders submitted a response/comments
[PDF: English | Portuguese | German | Spanish | French ]
June 16, 2025 | Brazil submitted initial statement to CITES [PDF: English]
Lay-person
Summary
Lay-person
Summary
Pernambuco Fact Sheet
for Musicians
[Source: Alliance-International]
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PDF: English | Portuguese | Spanish | French
In-depth
Pau-Brasil & CITES:
Options for Conservation and Music
[Source: IPCI and Alliance-International]
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PDF: English | Portuguese | German | Spanish | French
In-depth
Examination of Wood Properties of Plantation-Grown Pernambuco (Caesalpinia Echinata)
[Source: International Association of Wood Anatomists]
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PDF: English
Guide
Know Your Bow:
Tips for Owners and Users
of Pernambuco Bows
[Source: League of American Orchestras, et al.]
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Read Article and/or access PDF: English
Guide
Know Your Bow:
Tips for Makers and Sellers
of Pernambuco Bows
[Source: League of American Orchestras, et al.]
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PDF: English
Technical
Summary
Pau-Brasil Whitepaper
December 2024
[Source: IPCI and Alliance-International]
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PDF: English | Portuguese
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Summary of presentations by top scientists in the field on the sustainable use of Pau-brasil, from the December 2024 symposium in Ilheus, Brazil. (Supported by the Alliance/IPCI to expand scientific research in Brazil.)
Advocacy
Yo-Yo Ma speaks about conservation and the importance of pernambuco.
Article in the Music Community
A Brief History of Pernambuco and Bowmaking
[Source: Denver Violins blog, August 22, 2025]
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Read article: English
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Learn why bowmakers make bows out of pernambuco with this short history of the craft. [Photo: 18th and 19th century bows by members of the DODD and TUBBS families]
Article in the Music Community
Conserving Pernambuco, Supporting Music
[Source: Symphony feature story, October 24, 2025]
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Read article: English
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Pending rules may ban buying and selling many existing bows made of pernambuco, the Brazilian wood that is preferred by many string musicians and grows exclusively in Brazil.
Article in the Music Community
Making Matters: The consequences of a pernambuco ban
[Source: Strad feature story, August 15, 2025]
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Read article: English
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With a worldwide ban on the pernambuco trade again becoming a real possibility, Christian Lloyd looks at the potential consequences for musicians, makers, dealers and anyone who loves instrument bows.
