NonTimber Forest ProductsProspects for Community Forests and Forest Communities BCCFA April 2005

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Non-Timber Forest Products-Prospects for
Community Forests and Forest Communities BCCFA
April 2005

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Darcy Mitchell, Ph.D.Director, Centre for
Non-TimberForest Resources, Royal Roads
University Member, B.C. Forest Practices Board

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Contents

• What are NTFPs and why do the matter?
• Recommendations from the BC Forest Practices
  Board Special Report (2005)
• Brief status report

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Contents

• Realizing the potential of NTFPS (a challenge
  with many facets)
• Some ideas for compatible management
• Suggested topics for workshop discussion

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What are NTFPs?
Non-timber forest products are all of the
botanical and mycological resources and
associated services of the forest other than
timber, pulpwood, shakes, or other wood products.
One group of a range of marketable non-timber
resources including range, forest bioproducts,
carbon, water, trapping.
NTFPs include
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What are NTFPs?
Berries
Wild Edibles
Mushrooms
Greens
Syrups
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What are NTFPs?
Salal
Floral Greenery
Boughs
Other greenery
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What are NTFPs?
Crafts
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What are NTFPs?
Medicinals and Nutraceuticals
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What are NTFPs?
Landscaping, Horticulture, Restoration
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What are NTFPs?
Tourism and Education
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What are NTFPs?
And many more...
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The importance of NTFPs

• The industry has shown rapid growth in the last
  two decades

• Over 200 species harvested commercially in BC

• Strong interest among First Nations in
  revitalizing traditional practices

Oregon grape (Mahonia nervosa) - used today as a
floral greenery and medicine, used traditionally
as a food, medicine, and dye
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The importance of NTFPs
NTFPs contribute over 250 million annually to
BCs economy
The big two are wild mushrooms and floral
greens the mushroom harvest has reached 50 -
60 million in one year
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The importance of NTFPs
The Canadian Forest Service estimates the value
of the industry could readily reach 1 billion a
year based primarily in small, forest dependent
communities
Not just how much? but who?
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The importance of NTFPs
Non-timber forest products and services offer
numerous opportunities for business creation and
income generation in rural communities.

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NTFPS in Sustainable Forest Management

• Broad policy shift in recognition of forest
  values (National Forest Strategy, CCFM CI)
• Linked with biodiversity, Aboriginal Rights,
  social and economic benefits, non-commercial
  values and environmental services
• Communities seeking alternatives benefits
  between timber rotations
• Not instead of timber but with timber

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NTFPS in Sustainable Forest Management

• Challenges include
• Lack of institutional arrangements (property
  rights, law, policy) that create incentives for
  investment and stewardship in non-timber products
• Inadequate knowledge
• Very broad and complex sector (from berries to
  bioproducts)
• Forest managers not trained to deal with ntfps or
  with those who use ntfps

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Recommendations of the BC FPB Special Report 2004
.

• Government should conduct research to quantify
  the economic contribution of NTFPs and to develop
  knowledge about compatible and sustainable
  management of non-timber with timber resources
• Government should explore the options for
  regulating the NTFP industry

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Recommendations of the BC FPB Special Report 2004
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• Government should establish objectives for NTFPs
  under the Land Act, through sustainable resource
  management plans
• Government, the forest industry and professional
  associations should promote awareness among
  forests and others about the opportunities and
  challenges of integrating timber and NTFPS

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A few NTFP highlights research, capacity
building, awareness

• BC Forest Science Program baseline studies of
• NTFP economic value and compatible management
  with
• Timber (BC Ministry of Forests, NRCAN (PFC),
• CNTR
• March /April issue of FORUM NTFP theme
• incorporation of the Kootenays Forest Innovation
  Society
• the second regional organization devoted to
  sustainable
• Use of non-timber resources (first is Mt.
  Waddington
• Innovation Center Society on Northern Vancouver
  Island)
• (workshops, strategic planning for the region)

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A few NTFP highlights research, capacity
building, awareness

• Many communities and organizations (like this
  one) including Non-Timber Forest Products in
  conferences and workshops
• And offering training and capacity building
  events

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A few NTFP highlights research, capacity
building, awareness

• McGregor Model Forest
• collaboration with MWICS and
• RRU on Vancouver Island
• NTFP project, including
• development of a resource
• guide on compatible
• management of NTFP
• with timber and
• NTFP inventory

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For community forests and forest communities to
realize NTFP potential, what is needed?

• Management of forest lands for both timber and
  and non-timber
• products and services
• . Economic development capacity and support
  businesses
• and communities
• . Policy, legislative and regulatory environment
  that fosters
• stewardship and investment including land and
  resource
• access and tenure, Aboriginal rights and title,
  economic policy,
• Benefit sharing, policy coordination at many
  levels

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The elements of a sustainable sector

Supportive Policy and Institutional Environment
Resource and Environmental Capacity

• Planning
• Managing
• Monitoring
• Evaluating

Community Capacity and Interests
Existing and Potential Markets
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Compatible management
Compatible management is managing the forest
lands in a way which recognizes and enhances both
timber and non-timber values.
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Compatible management - how?
Compatible management possibilities
Inactive
Coincident
Active
Use existing forest management tools
Management for one value benefits the other value
Explicitly manage for both timber and NTFP values
Salvage Prescribed fire Pruning/thinning Felling
practices
Roads Maps Inventory Aerial photos
Planting Fertilization Delayed harvest Pruning/thi
nning
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Compatible management opportunities
What are some compatible management examples?

• Plant salvage for nurseries
• coincident management

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Compatible management opportunities
Whole plant salvage trials, northern Vancouver
Island
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Compatible management opportunities

• Is it economically viable?

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Compatible management opportunities
Salvage before development
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Compatible management opportunities
Another example

• bough pruning to enhance understory products
• coincident to active management

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Compatible management opportunities

• Light level requirements for commercial product

• Access

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Compatible management opportunities

• Thinning
• effects of stand thinning on understory
• Coincident to active management

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Compatible management opportunities
Fertilization

• operational fertilization to enhance both trees
  and understory
• Coincident to active management

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Compatible management opportunities
More examples

• Prescribed burns for berries, morels, and bulb
  species
• Planting or enhancing wild greens

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Compatible management opportunities

• Workshops
• Tours

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Some questions for workshopdiscussion

• What is the current status of community forest
  activity re. NTFPs? Successes/challenges?
• Where do NTFPs fit in with the big picture -
  e.g. Mountain Pine Beetle, wildfire urban
  interface?
• What would have to happen for NTFPs (and other
  marketable non-timber products and services) to
  enhance the viability of community forests and
  other small tenures?
• Priority steps for action?

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Centre for Non-Timber Resources
For more information http//www.royalroads.ca/cn
tr ntfp_at_royalroads.ca 250 391 2600,local
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