Nontimber Output Assessments: Tracking Those Other Forest Products

Abstract

The Forest Service has been assessing timber product output (TPO) for more than 50 years by canvassing primary processors of industrial roundwood in each state on a 3–5 year cycle. TPO studies tracks what species are cut, from where they come, and what products are produced. Nontimber forest products (NTFPs) are important commodities and a valuable segment of the forest products industry. Unfortunately, they have not been monitored to assess production volumes or trends to understand the dynamics of this segment of the forest products industry. Over the last decade, FIA of the Southern Research Station occasionally has reported the status of NTFPs through “State Reports” and at the national level through RPA assessment and the Sustainable Forests reports. In 2011, FIA and Virginia Tech partnered to develop a Nontimber Product Output (NTPO) information system similar to theTPOassessments. The concept is to develop protocols to systematically monitor nontimber forest production, with an initial focus on medicinal forest products in Central Appalachia. This is providing a starting point for developing a replicable output system that can periodically report on all medicinal NTFP production. Findings from the analysis will be integrated into a geographic information system that will spatially depict various aspects of the medicinal forest products segment. The longterm goal is to create a mechanism whereby nontimber forest product outputs across the nation can be tracked regularly and more thoroughly valued. We will present the status of medicinal forest products in the study region and report progress on development of the NTPO system.

Citation

Chamberlain, James; Munsell, John; and Krugerc, Steven. 2013. Nontimber Output Assessments: Tracking Those Other Forest Products. Journal of Forestry: January 2014.