Non-wood Forest Products Research Articles

Determination to Results of Forest Management Planning Applications with Land Use Changes from 1971 to 2008 in Yalova-Turkey

The forest conservation organizations in Turkey have recommended changing the classical forest management systems to protect forest biodiversity since 2006. This study discusses the spatio-temporal analysis of forest management activities and land use changes in Yalova Forest Ecosystems, Turkey. We focused on the Yalova City because (a) it is located in a highly urbanized area, northwestern Turkey, (b) forest is a governmental ownership and producing of many non-wood forest product and wildlife species, (c) governmental organizations are encouraged to be decreased clear-cuts to protect forest ecosystems; (d) GIS databases are available in Yalova; (e) Yalova Forestry Administration has a membership of the Mediterranean Model Forest Network in 2011, and (f) many new forest policies will be developed in Turkey after the membership of the model forest . This study used forest management plans of Yalova Forest during 1971–2008 periods and analyzed data in geographic information system (GIS). Results showed that the rate of forest area in the Yalova steadily increased from 53.4 % in 1971 to 61.2 % to 62.5 % between 1994 and 2008 respectively.

Situation und Anliegen der Waldeigentümer – einige Gedanken (Essay)

Situation and concerns of forest owners - some notions (essay) The swiss forest economy is expecting huge challenges due to major changes in national and international circumstances. The main task in future time will be to combine proven traditions and principles with new and probably massif changes in an optimized way. We must be aware of the fact that some existing methods of forest management and sylviculture will eventually have to be adapted in a quite extensive and fundamental way. Swiss forest land owners must be recognized again as the main actors and the most important stakeholder concerning forest matters. There has been a very long period of reducing forest owners property rights and liberty of action, this process has to be stopped now. The increasing demand for existing and new non-wood forest products and services and for further limitations in forest management must be satisfied increasingly on a voluntarely basis (product selling, service agreements), rather than by tightening up the forest and other forest-related laws. The well-known «wake theory» in Swiss forest economy doesn't work anymore in its traditional form.

Produto interno bruto do setor florestal brasileiro, 1994 a 2008

Este trabalho analisou e estimou, conforme metodologia apresentada em Passos e Nogami (2006), o Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) do setor florestal brasileiro, no período de 1994 a 2008. Os resultados indicaram que o setor florestal contribuiu para o PIB brasileiro, mas essa contribuição diminuiu ao longo dos anos; o segmento da madeira processada mecanicamente foi o que mais contribuiu para o PIB do setor florestal; o aumento no PIB nominal foi causado, em grande parte, pelo incremento dos preços dos produtos florestais; e o segmento de produtos florestais não madeireiros perdeu participação no PIB do setor florestal.

A study of the role of forest and forest-dependent community in Myanmar

This study was intended to find out the benefits of forests, especially for non-wood forest products (NWFPs), to forest-dependent local people and the relation to their socio-economic status. Sampling (169 respondents) was chosen to be an equal distribution of household's economic status. The survey was conducted face to face with structural interviews using both open-and closed-ended questions. The results showed that bamboo and bamboo shoot were considered as the most collected NWFPs in the Bago Yoma region. The average consumptions of NWFPs were 302.50 ± 90.12 viss to 501.27 ± 120.65 viss. Furthermore, the research revealed that the collection of NWFPs showed negative correlation with income availability and livestock possession. The study aims to help provide the necessary information for sustainable forest management.

Plant diversity management in cocoa agroforestry systems in West and Central Africa—effects of markets and household needs

Cocoa production in humid forest landscapes has been one of the main cash providers of West and Central African economies. Along with the liberalization of the perennial tree sector, there are increased fluctuations of cocoa income. At the same time, the demand and interest for timber production and non-wood forest products have also been increasing. With the continuous disappearance of natural forests, the production of these commodities is being shifted into cocoa agroforests and plantations. In view of helping research and development institutions in promoting sustainable tree crop systems, this paper attempts, for the main cocoa producing countries of West Africa (Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire), to: (1) document the temporal evolution of the market demand for forests and non-wood forest products both at the local and international levels; (2) explore the set of tree species that can be produced in cocoa agroforests of WCA to satisfy this demand. Deforestation resulting partly from the expansion of perennial orchards and slash and burn agriculture is: (i) leading to a shortage of suitable forest land necessary to stabilize or increase national cocoa production and (ii) increasing the gap between the demand and availability/supply of non-wood forest products (NWFP) and timber by reducing the main source of these products—the forest. Demand of these products is increasing with the growth of urban and peri-urban centers. At the same time, perennial agroforestry systems such as cocoa agroforest are increasingly perceived as assets for Payment for Environmental Services (PES) such as carbon storage and biodiversity conservation, because of the potential of the resources that they can generate. These demands of products and payment for ecosystem services that can be provided by sustainable cocoa agroforestry systems depends upon the appropriate combination of cocoa, timber and non-timber forest trees on the same land. Such demands is still to be properly exploited in the region. Cocoa agroforests in West Africa are characterized by fewer species than those of Central Africa. The level of market access influences the types of species that are managed inside cocoa agroforests. Among the species potentially associable with cocoa, those demanded by the local, regional and international markets are not necessarily the ones that are more frequent in the cocoa fields. The gradual reduction of natural forest, from which timber and non-timber products are gathered, aroused the need to integrate the growing of such species in cocoa agroforestry systems.

Comparison of good- and bad-quality cork: application of high-throughput sequencing of phellogenic tissue.

Cork is one of the most valuable non-wood forest products and plays an important role in Mediterranean economies. The production of high-quality cork is dependent on both genome and environment, posing constraints on the industry because an ever-growing amount of bad-quality cork (BQC) development has been observed. In order to identify genes responsible for production of cork of superior quality we performed a comparative analysis using the 454 pyrosequencing approach on phellogenic tissue of good- and bad-quality samples. The transcriptional profiling showed a high number of genes differentially expressed (8.48%) from which 78.8% displayed annotation. Genes more highly represented in BQC are involved in DNA synthesis, RNA processing, proteolysis, and transcription factors related to the abiotic stress response. Putative stomatal/lenticular-associated genes which may be responsible for the disadvantageous higher number of lenticular channels in BQC are also more highly represented. BQC also showed an elevated content of free phenolics. On the other hand, good-quality cork (GQC) can be distinguished by highly expressed genes encoding heat-shock proteins. Together the results provide valuable new information about the molecular events leading to cork formation and provide putative biomarkers associated with cork quality that can be useful in breeding programmes.

Spatial prediction of Lactarius deliciosus and Lactarius salmonicolor mushroom distribution with logistic regression models in the Kızılcasu Planning Unit, Turkey.

Integration of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) into forest management planning has become an increasingly important issue in forestry over the last decade. Among NWFPs, mushrooms are valued due to their medicinal, commercial, high nutritional and recreational importance. Commercial mushroom harvesting also provides important income to local dwellers and contributes to the economic value of regional forests. Sustainable management of these products at the regional scale requires information on their locations in diverse forest settings and the ability to predict and map their spatial distributions over the landscape. This study focuses on modeling the spatial distribution of commercially harvested Lactarius deliciosus and L. salmonicolor mushrooms in the Kızılcasu Forest Planning Unit, Turkey. The best models were developed based on topographic, climatic and stand characteristics, separately through logistic regression analysis using SPSS™. The best topographic model provided better classification success (69.3 %) than the best climatic (65.4 %) and stand (65 %) models. However, the overall best model, with 73 % overall classification success, used a mix of several variables. The best models were integrated into an Arc/Info GIS program to create spatial distribution maps of L. deliciosus and L. salmonicolor in the planning area. Our approach may be useful to predict the occurrence and distribution of other NWFPs and provide a valuable tool for designing silvicultural prescriptions and preparing multiple-use forest management plans.

Study on the extent of support of current forest management to local people by comparing natural forests and plantation forests in Myanmar

Nowadays, the intensive management and huge pressure from the human population has become a great challenge for efficient forest management. The main focuses of this study are to investigate (1) the current socio-economic status of a forest-dependent community and (2) the social contribution of two environmental conservation efforts – remnant natural forest conservation and plantation establishment – in a comparative way. The structural interview method was used for the survey, and questionnaires were set out as both closed- and open-ended questions. The respondents were stratified as poor, medium and better off, and the sample shape was defined as a triangle. The results showed that restoration by means of remnant forest conservation gave much more tangible and intangible benefits than plantations. The mean value of fuelwood availability from natural forests was significantly higher than that of the plantation forests, whereas most of the local people depended on both types of forests for their supplies. Local people were more dependent on natural forests for non-wood forest products and building materials than on plantation forests. The poorer the people, the more they depended on forests. This study points out that rehabilitation implementation and rural livelihood development in harmony is important for combating degradation.

Mushroom production as an alternative for rural development in a forested mountainous area

Wild mushrooms are recognized as important non-wood forest products in mountainous ecosystems, but their real potential for generating rural economies has not been fully evaluated due to the difficulties in obtaining reliable productivity data, minimizing their true potential as contributor to rural economies. Mushroom yield models based on large data series from Pinus forest ecosystems in the region of Catalonia (Spain), combined with data from the Spanish National Forest Inventory allow us to estimate the potential mushroom productivity by forest ecosystems. The results of 24,500 tons/yr of mushrooms of which 16,300 tons are classified as edible and 7,900 tons are commonly marketed demonstrate the importance of mushroom productions in Catalonian pine forests, mostly located in mountainous areas where the development of agricultural activities is limited. Economic mushroom value is estimated at 48 million € for the edible mushroom and 32 million € for those corresponding to marketable yields, confirming the potential of this non-wood forest product. These production results and corresponding economic values provide a basis for the incorporation of wild mushrooms as significant non-wood forest products in the development of forest policies in mountainous areas.

Forest Ecosystem Services and Human Well Being: A Sri Lankan Perspective

Having reached a critical minimum cover, Sri Lanka’s natural forests are presently under amoratorium, which has suspended any form of commercial timber extraction andmanagement for timber. Since 1989, these forests have been assigned primarily forconservation of their rich biodiversity that provides multiple benefits. Forests being a keycomponent of the island’s natural capital, they make a vital contribution to ecological serviceinfrastructure (conservation of biodiversity, water and soil, climate regulation through carbonsequestration and storage, provision of habitats for wildlife including wild germplasm,pollinators and predators of agricultural pests etc.) and in no small measure, to nature-basedtourism, for which Sri Lanka has already gained global recognition. In addition, these forestsharbour important non-wood forest products (NWFPs) that make a significant contribution tolocal economies and livelihoods, by provisioning traditional food, medicinal and/or healthcareresources, which lately are emerging even as export commodities.At a global scale, with the development of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, there is asignificant paradigm shift to include these ecosystem goods and environmental services in tonational accounting systems. The Rio+20 agreement and several international follow-upinitiatives advocate measures to value the contribution of ecosystems to human well-beingthrough economic-ecological and social (triple bottom line) accounting such as green GDP.Sri Lanka faces a challenge at this crucial phase of rapid development, set out in the NationalPhysical Plan 2011-2030, to engage in an emerging global initiative to drive towards agreener economy. Nonetheless, this seemingly portentous challengeopens up manyopportunities, both for research and development, to be aligned and repositioned with theevolving global scenarios in the forestry as well as other sectors, so that visionary planningnow would avoid costly remedial measures in the future. Sri Lanka is richly endowed with areligio-cultural heritage that is inextricably linked with its equally rich natural heritage. Tomove towards a greener economy, while learning from these past experiences and judiciouslyblending them with innovative thinking to suit modern situations, is indeed the task ahead ofall of us. We still have time-tested models entwined with traditional wisdom for appropriatelygreening the forestry as well as other related sectors and meeting our own sustainabledevelopment goals. The challenge now is to re-define the vision for Sri Lanka’s forests in thelight of emerging sustainable development goals, and to build the necessary in-countrycapacity to demonstrate its benefits to policymakers in our move towards a greener economy.

The Role of Non-Wood Forest Products in Poverty Alleviation and Food Security in Urban Ghana

Non Wood Forest Product (NWFP) is as old as the existence of humans and has gained increasing importance. The study focused on processing NWFPs in urban Ghana with special reference to the bushmeat commodity chain that supplies the urban areas. It described the existing forms of bushmeat processing requirements and constraints. It also examined the contribution of bushmeat to poverty alleviation and food security through its use, processing and trade as a NWFP. Methods for data collection involved the use of qualitative research approach in form of selective case study approach. In line with this approach, the study used both participant observation combined with focus group discussion to collect information from a cross section of primary actors in the bushmeat trade. Results showed that processing bushmeat for sale vary from place to place. It is conveyed to the major markets either smoked or fresh. Those using bushmeat for medicinal purposes cut the meat into various parts and dry them for their clientele. Results also showed that bushmeat trading activities involve a chain of actors composed of hunters, wholesalers and chop bar owners/retailers. This livelihood activity contributes highly to food security and household incomes of actors of the trade.

Value of forest berries and mushrooms picking in Slovakia's forests

Non-wood forest products have important commercial, environmental, social and recreational roles in many European forests. Collecting wild foods from the forests now largely represents a form of recreation. In some countries, any revenues from the sale of wild food are exempted from income tax. The main objective of this work is to estimate the value of the selected forest berries and mushroom picking in Slovak forests. A random sample of 5,168 Slovak inhabitants was surveyed, with 1,534 interviews in 2006, 1,732 interviews in 2007, 1,402 interviews in 2008 and with 500 interviews in 2011. Face to face interviews were used and people were asked to answer prefilled questions. Based on the results of the survey, the most collected forest berry is blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), one third of respondents stated, that they picked them either for own consumption or for sale. Harvest activity in mushrooms picking is connected mainly with Boletus sp. They were picked by two-thirds of respondents for own consumption and by 2 % for sale. Mushrooms picking implies revenues of around 110–140 mil € annually. Levels of activity differed in each year. It can be influenced also by poorer crop in some years. In general, average price was higher in years with lower harvest.

Ocena potencialnega obroda samoniklih tržnih vrst gob v slovenskih gozdovih

Commercial value of non-wood forest products is increasing and in some cases can be equal or may even surpass the commercial value of timber. Therefore, an initiative for assessing the potential yield of commercial wild mushrooms in Slovenia arose. We developed empirical spatial models for 27 commercial wild mushrooms. The spatial models have a resolution of 1 × 1 km, assessment for potential production is given in kg × year–1. We verified model accuracy with data from central database of fungi in Slovenia, Boletus informaticus. The accuracy of models range from 60.6% to 99.2%. Estimated potential yield of studied commercial wild mushrooms was 2,869–37,800 tons/year, on average 12,169 tons/year. Potential commercial value of wild mushrooms is estimated at 263–527 €/ha, while overall commercial value of commercial wild mushrooms is estimated at 91–182 million €/year on average. Possible improvements of models for assessing the potential yield of wild mushrooms are discussed.

Non-wood forest products based enterprises’ cooperation and business networking forms in central Serbia

Collaboration between enterprises includes all activities, which are undertaken in order to achieve common goals and interests. Business networking involves the establishment of various forms of associations and business communities, with or without the creation of new economic entities. The aim of the paper was to study the forms of cooperation between non-wood forest products based small and medium enterprises, as well as to determine the attitudes of their representatives towards cooperation and business networking with other enterprises in Central Serbia. Research included 91 non-wood forest product based small and medium enterprises and 19 representatives of leading enterprises, which were selected based on specifically defined criteria. Both the methods of analysis and synthesis and comparative and statistical methods were applied in the paper. The results indicate that almost all analyzed enterprises cooperate with other enterprises. The most common form of cooperation is present ?during selling? and ?during purchase?. The majority of leading enterprises? representatives are members of some of the existing associations of entrepreneurs. Based on the analysis, it was found that there is a need for development of cooperation between the analyzed enterprises. In accordance with that, proposals for the improvement of business networking were given. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007: Istrazivanja klimatskih promena i njihovog uticaja na zivotnu sredinu - pracenje uticaja, adaptacija i ublazavanje?, podprojekat 43007/16-III: Socio-ekonomski razvoj, ublazavanje i adaptacija na klimatske promene i br. 37008-TR: Odrzivo gazdovanje ukupnim potencijalima suma u Republici Srbiji

Effects of wild boar grazing on the yield of summer truffle (Tuscany, Italy)

The research presented here seeks to describe the impact of wild boar to a natural truffle ground of <em>Tuber aestivum </em>Vittad. on Monte Amiata (Tuscany – Italy). Pedoclimatic analyses indicated that the selected area could be considered suitable for the truffle production. Then classification of the vegetation of a <em>Quercus cerris </em>forest was carried out exploring the possibility of the BACI (Before-After-Control-Impact) sampling design. Finally 10 plots were selected, half of which have been fenced. For the first time the impact of wild boar was evaluated by estimating the surface area turned over by its activity. Moreover in each plot the number and weight of summer truffles was performed every 10 days during the fruiting period (June-November 2006-2008). The hypothesis that the presence of <em>Sus scrofa </em>has a strong negative influence on truffle harvesting has been amply confirmed by the data presented here, given the large increase of fruiting bodies of the summer truffle collected in the fenced plots. Consequently the destructive behaviour of the wild boar imply not only an ecological but also an economic damage in areas in which non-wood forest products are an important source of income.

Integrating pine honeydew honey production into forest management optimization

Pine honeydew honey is an economically important non-wood forest product from eastern Mediterranean Pinus brutia forests, which are also important for timber production. Pine honey is produced by bees that feed on the honeydew secretions of Marchalina hellenica, a scale insect that infests pine stands and feeds on pine sap. The aim of this study was to optimize the joint production of pine honeydew honey and timber by maximizing the soil expectation value of pine stands. The simulation of P. brutia stand dynamics and timber production in healthy and infested stands is based on individual-tree growth and yield models that account for the effect of M. hellenica on tree- and stand-level growth and mortality. The optimization procedure uses a direct search method based on nonlinear programming. The results suggest that pine stands growing on good sites should be managed using rather short rotations and mainly aiming at timber production. In contrast, forest management in medium- and poor-quality sites should aim at longer rotations by taking advantage of the joint production of pine honey and timber assortments. Honey-oriented forest management can be much more profitable than timber production in stands growing on medium and poor sites. Pine honey represents an opportunity to increase the value and economic profitability of P. brutia forests.

The Contribution of Forests and Trees to Sustainable Diets

With the growing demands from a population expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, it is unclear how our current global food system will meet future food needs. Ensuring that all people have access to adequate and nutritious food produced in an environmentally and socio-culturally sustainable manner is one of the greatest challenges of our time. “Sustainable diets” have been proposed as a multidimensional framework to address the need for nutritious and adequate food in the context of the many challenges facing the world today: reducing poverty and hunger, improving environmental health, enhancing human well-being and health, and strengthening local food networks, sustainable livelihoods and cultural heritage. This paper examines the contribution of forests and trees to sustainable diets, covering among others, nutritional, cultural, environmental and provisioning aspects. The literature reviewed highlight major opportunities to strengthen the contribution of forest and tree foods to sustainable diets. However, several constraints need to be removed. They relate to: cultural aspects, sustainable use of non-wood forest products, organization of forest food provisioning, limited knowledge of forest food composition, challenges in adapting management of forests and trees to account for forest foods, and in integrating forest biodiversity into complex landscapes managed for multiple benefits. Finally, the paper identifies research gaps and makes recommendations to enhance the contribution of forest foods to sustainable diets through increased awareness and better integration of information and knowledge on nutritious forest foods into national nutrition strategies and programs.

Non-wood Forest Products Based on Extractives- A New Opportunity for Canadian Forest Industry Part 2- Softwood Forest Species

<p>Forest resources are among the most important of Canada (in the case of Quebec, nearly 90% of the territory). Innovation represents an essential challenge for the Canadian forest industry, which is presently undergoing major changes towards finding new solutions for recovery. The processing of forest biomass has become increasingly relevant along with the popular concept of biorefineries. This concept should include the development of novel technologies based on forest extractives. Bioactive molecules are readily available through eco-friendly extraction processes using various types of forest residues including barks which are generated in significant quantities by the industry. This literature review offers a glimpse into the softwood boreal forest with a particular focus on industrial species. We are adopting an ethno-pharmacological approach prior to presenting existing data on bioactive molecules from various sources, along with results from our own laboratory. In conclusion, this paper clearly demonstrates the need for further research on bioactive molecules from Canadian forest species since there remains an important lack of reliable data.</p>

Forest management through community participation in Sri Lanka (with reference to Kurunegala district)

A forest is an area with a high density of trees (or, historically, an area set aside for hunting). Plantcommunities covering large areas of the globe provide carbon-sink, oxygen-release, habitat, and soilretentionfunctions. Therefore, Earth's forests constitute one of the most important aspects of ourbiosphere.In response to escalating concerns about the degradation of State-managed forests, developing countriesaround the world are increasingly promoting decentral ization of natural resource management. Fromthe State-centric policies that were promoted in different parts of the world in the mid-Zf)" century,the trend has shifted toward encouraging participatory systems of management by local communities.This shift has been prompted by recognition of the numerous problems associated with consolidatingall power in the hands of the State, and of the crucial, hitherto unrecognized, positive role played bylocal communities-albeit nudged by international shifts in policy.Isolated islands of forests in Sri Lanka have received the attention of both the state and the peoplebecause of their economic importance. Responsibility for forest management has been placed ontechnically trained officers in the public sector, the objective being to promote state regulation in theefficient management of forest resources. Sri Lanka's natural forest cover is now around 31% of theisland's 65,610 sq km, and natural closed canopy forests have dwindled to 22.5 % of the total landarea from 44 % in 1956. It is significant that tropical humid forests, which form the natural vegetationtype of the island's ever-wet southwestern quarter, have shrunk to about 9.5% of this region. Theseforests are also heavily fragmented and few are more than 10,000 ha in extent. Although much of theendemic species among both fauna and flora are concentrated in the wet zone, lowland rain forests ofthis region comprise about 1.9% of the island's land area.This research follows the manner in which State-driven, upwardly accountable, forest decentralizationprograms play out on the ground, and evaluates their impact on forests and local institutions, a topic ofmuch current concern and debate. In-depth field interviews with the communities provide us withinformation about the impact of these initiatives on local institutions. Non-wood forest products areimportant to people for a number of reasons. First, NWFPs are integral to the lifestyle of forestdependentcommunities. They fulfill basic requirements, provide gainful employment during lean periodsand supplement incomes from agriculture and wage labor. Medicinal plants have an important role inrural health.The objective of this paper is to explores forest management through community participation toprotect the forest in Sri Lanka. Up to now there is no local communities currently function under asituation of constraint, where they have not been delegated responsibilities. It has been collectedopinion from hundred families who lives around forest cover in Kurunegala district and 95% of peoplesaid that community participation is the best way to manage the forest in Sri Lanka. It can be takenexperience from India and Nepal for this program.

Value chains of Serbian non-wood forest products

SUMMARY In recent decades, gathering and utilization of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) have enjoyed a noticeable increase in the interest of both scientific and professional organizations, non-governmental institutions and private sector in Serbia. The Western Balkans have a rich biodiversity with a long history of collection and use of NWFPs and an increasing level of commercialisation. The paper presents an analysis of NWFPs commercialization using value chain method. The analysis is useful in determining the importance of stakeholders or individuals, such as collectors, processors, enterprises and exporters, in driving the trade in NWFPs from Serbia. The objective was to assess the constraints and opportunities for NWFP - based enterprises, and to design more efficient and competitive business solutions by analyzing relationships between chain actors. Primary data were collected through in-depth interview and using open-ended questionnaires with NWFP pickers and processors from around the Serbia. The...