Brief Overview of Historical Non-Timber Forest Product Use in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest

Abstract

Summary Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have sustained indigenous and immigrant populations alike since their arrival in North America. This brief overview focuses on the historical use of NTFPs in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest. Drawing on sources as diverse as accounts by early European arrivals, archaeological evidence, and contemporary ethnobotanical studies, we touch on documented uses of forest vegetation from prehistory to the present century. The residents of these regions have used NTFPs for food, medicine, and cultural materials. NTFPs have met their livelihood needs through subsistence uses and both non-market and market exchanges. We conclude that in spite of U.S incorporation into a global market-based economy, there is notable continuity in the harvest and use of NTFPs in the United States from prehistory to current times.