Mahogany was used to patch ship planks for Hernando Cortez in 1514

The official list of CITES species is maintained by the CITES Secretariat. The Secretariat also maintains a species database with details of the listing and associated information.

Current CITES Listing of American Mahoganies

Chronology of American Mahoganies Listing

Bigleaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) Appendix-II Listing – Effective November 15, 2003

• 2002 (COP12). Guatemala and Nicaragua submitted a proposal to list neotropical populations of bigleaf mahogany in Appendix II, including logs, sawn timber, veneer sheets, and plywood. Information documents concerning the proposed listing were provided at the Conference by Brazil and Guatemala. The proposal was adopted and the listing became effective one year after the meeting (i.e., November 15, 2003). After the vote, the delegation of Brazil gave a statement concerning the inclusion of bigleaf mahogany in Appendix II. The United States issued a press release on the listing on November 26, 2003.

Bigleaf Mahogany Appendix-III Listings

The following countries listed bigleaf mahogany, including logs, sawn wood and veneer sheets, but not other parts or derivatives, from populations in the Americas, in Appendix III.

• 2001, October 29. Colombia (CITES notification).
• 2001, June 12. Peru (CITES notification).
• 1999, April 29. Mexico (Federal Register notice).
• 1998, July 26. Brazil (Federal Register notice).
• 1998, March 19. Bolivia (CITES notification or Federal Register notice).
• 1995, November 16. Costa Rica (Federal Register notice).

Bigleaf Mahogany Appendix-II Previous Listing Proposals

• 1997 (COP10). A proposal to include bigleaf mahogany from the Americas submitted by Bolivia and the United States was rejected. It gained a majority of the votes, but fell short of the required two-thirds majority by six votes. Brazil offered to convene a working group on mahogany to examine the status, management, and trade in this species, which was endorsed by the Parties. Brazil also committed to include its population of bigleaf mahogany in Appendix III, which it subsequently did in 1998.
• 1994 (COP9). The Netherlands proposed bigleaf mahogany for inclusion in Appendix II. This proposal was rejected, falling short of the two-thirds majority required for adoption by six votes. The CITES Timber Working Group (TWG) was created to assess implementation of timber species.
• I992 (COP8). Costa Rica and the United States separately proposed to list bigleaf and Caribbean mahoganies in Appendix II. The Costa Rican proposal was withdrawn in Committee. The U.S. proposal was narrowed to include only the Central American populations, which was withdrawn after debate.

Caribbean Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni)

• 1992 (COP8). Caribbean mahogany was listed in Appendix II effective June 11, 1992. The listing includes logs, sawn wood, and veneer sheets.

Pacific Coast Mahogany (Swietenia humilis)

• 1992 (COP8). The United States proposed to revise the listing to exclude (a) non-native populations in the Old World and (b) wood from trees not in the native range, if transformed beyond the first stage. The proposal was withdrawn.
• 1975. Pacific coast mahogany was included in Appendix II effective July 1, 1975. The listing includes all parts and derivatives.