FOREST FOREVER

What are Non-Timber Forest Products? Some commonly collected nontimber forest products (NTFPs) in the U.S. include wild mushrooms, berries, ferns, tree boughs, cones, moss, maple syrup, honey and medicinal products like cascara bark and ginseng.  The term NTFP is not based on a biological or ecological category but rather is a political economic category useful for highlighting overlooked values and biodiversity that can occur when timber production is the primary focus of forest management.  The boreal, temperate, and subtropical forests of the United States have both an extensive diversity and density of nontimber forest products.  A flexible definition of NTFPs broadly includes all nontimber vegetation in forests and agroforestry environments with, or potentially with, commercial value.  However, many species with commercial value are culturally and ecologically sensitive, two critical factors (of many considerations) that can affect commercial viability.  For example, for every species that is harvested commercially there are likely to be people who harvest for noncommercial reasons (e.g., family tradition, subsistence).  Other terms synonymous with nontimber forest product include special forest product, non wood forest product, minor forest product, alternative forest product and secondary forest product.  Other terms synonymous with harvesting include wildcrafting, gathering, collecting and foraging.