Management prospects through development of non-timber forest products

Abstract

Pressure on the area and the function of forests have been increasingly massive in the industrial age. Timber products and their derivatives, which are limited by harvest periods, become increasingly limited and cause a decline in forest value. Non-timber forest products, known as non-timber forest products (NTFPs), are of concern to stakeholders in the forestry sector. However, the broad type of NTFPs and special characteristics pose challenges in managing NTFPs. This paper summarizes the types of NTFPs based on several references and presents alternatives in the management of NTFPs. The dominant facts in NTFPs management are pressure on the area and function of forest, global economic trend, environmental aspect, the livelihood of people around the forest, and institutional aspects. Thus, the shift in the paradigm of forest management (extensification to intensification, partial to holistic), optimization of forest benefits, collaborative management, preparation of a grand design of forest, and network management are expected to become alternative management of NTFPs in the near future.