Non-timber (or Non-wood) forest products (NTFPs) are defined as goods of biological origin other than wood, derived from forests, other wooded land and trees outside forests (FAO, 1999); they include products used as food and food additives (edible nuts, mushrooms, fruits, herbs, spices and condiments, aromatic plants, game), fibers (used in construction, furniture, clothing or utensils), resins, gums, and plant and animal products used for medicinal, cosmetic or cultural purposes. Non-timber forest products have long been an important component of the livelihood strategies of people living in or adjacent to forest areas. Several million households world-wide depend heavily on these renewable resources for subsistence and/or income, and the FAO estimated that eighty percent of the population of the "developing" world use NTFPs to meet some of their health and nutritional needs (FAO 1997). However, NTFPs are seldom the primary source of household income, since their supply is largely seasonal.
Publication year
2022
Authors
Yongping Y; Stark M; Kleinn C; Weyerhauser H
Language
English
Keywords
forest products, forestry, research projects, non-wood forest products, china
Geographic
China, Germany
