The Forestry Department with the support of the police seized over 900 pieces of illegally harvested timber from the Cape Clear Forest Estate in St. Mary yesterday.

The department reports that the timber sawn into planks was discovered during a routine patrol of the forest estate on October 15.

Notices of seizure were placed on the items and a report was made to the Richmond police station to ensure they were not removed.

The total amount of lumber removed at the end of the operation was 927 pieces.

More than 50% of the seized wood was identified as Spanish elm, while the remainder consisted of popnut and sweetwood.

The Forestry Department says its investigation into the illegal lumber revealed it was cut over several weeks and the trees were purchased from an individual who claimed ownership of the forested property.

The agency has thus urged persons to do their due diligence when purchasing timber to ensure that the person selling the timber is authorized to do so.

Approximately 48% of Jamaica is classified as forests, and the Forestry Department manages just over 122,000 hectares of this amount of forest cover.