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Edible mycorrhizal fungi (EMF) have been consumed since ancestral times by humans either as food, medicine or for ceremonial use Nowadays, they are a non‐timber forest product and a diverse genetic resource with great ecological, sociocultural, economic, medicinal and biotechnological relevance around the world Therefore, they have a paramount role to play in meeting the United Nations global sustainable development goals 2030 EMF may promote forest sustainability, biodiversity conservation, mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions through the maintenance of forest masses, human nutrition and health, economic development, conservation of biocultural heritages, women empowerment and hunger mitigation We provide a worldwide review of the knowledge, biodiversity, novel approaches, future challenges and perspectives in the post‐COVID era of this important genetic resource whose relevance has usually received marginal attention despite its strategic global significance Ectomycorrhizal fungi play a key role in the structure and functioning of forest ecosystems They have a paramount importance in nutrient cycling, plant protection against pathogens and abiotic stress, and establishment of underground networks that connect trees and other plants in nature, therefore being the wood wide web, the ‘internet’ of the forests According to our literature review, globally 970 mycorrhizal fungal species (including both mushrooms and truffles) are edible, and they have enormous relevance either as a source of subsistence in low‐income human groups around the world or as an important economic component whose international commerce is worth billions of American dollars annually Since edible mycorrhizal fungi (EMF) are a non‐timber forest product, their sustainable use and management is crucial in order to maintain forest stands and to provide well‐being to the human communities surrounding the forested areas where they grow In different parts of the world, different cultures have developed a traditional knowledge of EMF over millennia Their knowledge might play an important role in food supply and food security in the future, hence contributing towards the “zero hunger” global goal The biotechnological development of EMF has also been crucial in the establishment of plantations, or successful reforestation and ecosystem restoration, which contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions Here, a worldwide review of how EMF might contribute to forest sustainability, food supply, biocultural conservation, and hunger and climate change mitigation is addressed by analysing the similarities, contrasts and challenges in all five continents [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Plants, People, Planet is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )

Softwood logs comprise a large portion of forest product exports from the United States. Most of these exports have occurred between the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and several Asian countries. In this study, the extent and degree of market integration of softwood log exports from 1996 to 2018 are examined by co-integration analyses and permanent–transitory decomposition. Softwood log exports to Japan and South Korea appear to be in the same economic market and show a high degree of integration, while trade between the United States and China has evolved more independently. A detailed analysis is conducted on five prices related to Japan and South Korea with full-time coverage, and one common integrating factor is found and estimated. The price of export from the Columbia-Snake Customs District to Japan is identified as the driving force. Price responses to market shocks usually occur within four months. These findings have implications for government agencies and participants in the market of softwood log trade.

Previous research on community forestry in Thailand has mainly focused on its institutional dimensions. Comprehensive knowledge on the production of non-timber forest products and on harvesting practices and decision-making processes is therefore still limited, particularly in relation to community-based forestry. A survey was performed to estimate the production of non-timber forest products and to characterize the diversity of harvesting practices and decision-making processes in northern Thailand's community forests. Field investigations were conducted once a month for 12 months in seven community forests in the Lainan sub-district in Nan Province, using a grid-based sampling technique. Production and productivity of the main non-timber forest products were calculated by total fresh weight. In-depth interviews were conducted individually with 231 local harvesters to understand their non-timber forest product harvesting practices and decision-making processes. Young shoots of Melientha suavis, queen broods of Oecophylla smaragdina and edible mushrooms were found to be the three main non-timber forest products collected, with productivity of 2, 12, and 2 kg/ha/year, respectively. Harvesting practices were characterized as applied by (A) landless villagers, (B) small- and medium-sized landholders, (C) larger landholders, and (D) outsiders. Local harvesters displayed different decision-making processes in resource harvesting depending on periods of resource availability, the duration of harvests and the quantities harvested. These quantitative data on resource productivity together with knowledge of harvesting practices and decision-making processes among harvesters will provide input to a participatory resource management process to support exchanges of knowledge among local stakeholders and explore scenarios for appropriate rules of access so as to improve the sustainability of non-timber forest product harvesting.

Forested landscapes around the world are owned, governed, and managed by many small owners and collectives. The management decisions that these owners and collectives make aggregate into measurable impacts on forest cover, fragmentation, carbon storage, biodiversity, and on the ecosystem services these forests provide to owners and broader society. Conversely, large scale processes such as climate change, globalization of markets, changes to laws regarding land tenure and access, and labor migration and remittances dramatically affect individual forest owners and the activities they are able to do on their land. Using NVivo 11.0, I coded and analyzed 456 papers describing research in the intersection of private or communal owners, forests, and landscape-scale impacts or influences. This analysis identified several prominent themes. Forested landscapes are increasingly split into smaller managed segments among more owners, in some cases facilitating deforestation. Global-scale processes such as labor migration and globalized forest product systems influence management decisions of family forest owners in most countries, particularly the choice of growing exotic species plantations and converting forests to cash crops. Programs and policies aimed at family and communal forest owners can be better targeted to incentivize these owners to protect and enhance forest benefits for broader society, and to better support owners’ adaptations to climate change, invasive species, biodiversity loss, and population demographics. Forest-based tourism and non-timber forest products are important but undervalued incentives for forest conservation. Given the large proportion of forests owned and managed by smallholders, landscape-scale planning and conservation goals cannot be met without engaging these forest owners.

The ecological impact of forest product harvesting is poorly understood despite the reliance of millions of impoverished households on forest resources. As birds are indicators of environmental change and essential for the function and regeneration of forest ecosystems, this study aimed to assess the response of bird species richness and functional diversity to unregulated forest product harvesting, to illuminate the impact of harvest disturbances on forest biodiversity. Five forest ecotypes in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa were sampled by means of circular plots in which bird communities, habitat structure and harvest intensities of sub-canopy trees harvested for poles, canopy trees harvested for timber, and bark harvested for medicinal use, were recorded. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to assess the response of bird diversity to harvesting activities measured on a continuous scale, and forest ecotype. Correlations between feeding traits and environmental variables relating to habitat structure and harvest disturbances were investigated using RLQ and fourth-corner analysis to better understand which traits were sensitive to harvest disturbances. Results indicated that forest ecotype was an important driver of variation in species richness and functional diversity. Additionally, harvesting disturbances negatively affected two measures of functional diversity, while species richness and functional richness were unaffected by harvesting. Specifically, functional evenness was negatively affected by timber harvesting, while functional dispersion declined in response to pole and bark harvesting. Bird traits relating to feeding ecology (i.e. primary diet and foraging strategy) were associated with habitat structure and harvest disturbances, indicating that harvest activities affected community structure. Specifically, frugivores and granivores were negatively affected by pole and bark harvesting respectively, while omnivorous species were positively affected by these harvest activities. Conversely, timber harvesting negatively affected omnivores, and positively affected nectarivores. Bark and timber harvesting, which resulted in canopy gaps, negatively affected species which forage in the understory or on the forest floor, while pole harvesting, which reduced tree abundance but not canopy cover, negatively affected canopy-foraging species. These results suggest that current unregulated forest product harvesting in the Eastern Cape may negatively affect forest productivity and ecosystem functioning. Specifically, this is the first study to measure the effects of harvesting of poles and medicinal bark on the functional diversity of avian forest communities.

Mexican oregano is a non-timber forest product harvested in natural vegetation and represents an important source of income for rural families. Recent reports have highlighted decreases in natural populations caused by increased harvest intensity. Oregano leaf harvesting is a complex problem, involving different components and views, and has a clear spatial dimension. We proposed an analytical framework based on multi-criteria-multi-objective analyses. GIS tools were used as the platform for managing, displaying and analyzing ecological and socioeconomic information from different sources in order to evaluate land suitability of three different management strategies for two competing land objectives: oregano Harvest and oregano Regeneration. The incorporation of environmental evaluation criteria in the analysis allowed the identification of new potential oregano harvesting areas which were neither reported by harvesters, nor registered during harvesting trips. Socio-economic criteria, such as land tenure, highlighted the fact that a substantial proportion of current oregano harvesting areas are located outside ejido limits resulting in potential conflicts for resource access. The proposed Balanced oregano management strategy, in which the same proportion of suitable area (50%) was assigned to both objectives, represents the most favorable management strategy. This option allows harvesters to continue earning an income from oregano leaf harvest; and at the same time helps in the selection of the best areas for oregano regeneration. It also represents a management strategy with a smaller impact on oregano populations and on the harvesters´ income, as well as lower monitoring costs. The proposed analytical framework may contribute to advance the application of systematic approaches for solving decision-making problems in areas where oregano leaves and other NTFP are harvested.

To encourage the environmental responsibility of consumers and manufacturers for forest management, it is necessary to evaluate the environmental influences of forest products. Ecological footprint (EF) is an internationally recognized indicator for estimating the natural capital consumption and environmental influences of various forest products. In this study, we developed an accounting model for the EF evaluation of wood flooring, which is a tertiary forest product, by the method of transformation. Next, we used that model to evaluate the EF of three types of wood flooring in China according to their production data from 2000 to 2018. We collected the necessary data by visiting typical enterprises in China and referring to the relevant literature. According to our results, the average EFs of solid wood flooring, engineered solid wood flooring and laminate flooring between 2000 to 2018 were 3.13×106, 1.05×107 and 5.07×106 gha, respectively. The total EFs of solid wood flooring, engineered solid wood flooring and laminate flooring from 2000 to 2018 were 5.95×107, 1.99×108 and 9.64×107 gha, respectively. The coefficients of variation (CV) of the EFs for these three types of wood flooring were 0.45, 0.87 and 0.76, respectively. The average and total EFs of the engineered solid wood flooring were the largest among the three types of wood flooring. The per capita EF and unit EF for the engineered solid wood flooring were also the highest among the three types of wood flooring. The EFs showed an upward trend with irregular fluctuations from 2000 to 2018 for all three types of wood flooring. It is necessary to reduce the EF of the engineered solid wood flooring and use more environmentally friendly products, such as solid wood flooring, for environmental protection.

In tropical rainforests, access to and availability of natural resources are vital for the dietary diversity and food security of forest-dwelling societies. In the Congo Basin, these are challenged by the increasing exploitation of forests for bushmeat, commercial hardwood, mining, and large-scale agriculture. In this context, a balanced approach is needed between the pressures from forest exploitation, non-timber forest product trade and the livelihood and dietary behavior of rural communities. While there is a general positive association between tree cover and dietary diversity, the complex biocultural interactions between tropical forest food resources and the communities they sustain are still understudied. This research focuses on the knowledge and use of wild food plants by the forest-dwelling Baka people in southeast Cameroon. By using two different sets of methods, namely ex-situ interviews and in-situ surveys, we collected ethnographic and ethnobotanical data in two Baka settlements and explored the diversity of wild edible plants known, the frequency of their consumption, and potential conflicts between local diet and commercial trade in forest resources. Within a single Baka population, we showed that the in-situ walk-in-the-woods method resulted in more detailed information on wild food plant knowledge and use frequency than the ex-situ methods of freelisting and dietary recalls. Our in-situ method yielded 91 wild edible species, much more than the ex-situ freelisting interviews (38 spp.) and dietary recalls (12 spp.). Our results suggest that studies that are based only on ex-situ interviews may underestimate the importance of wild food plants for local communities. We discuss the limitations and strengths of these different methods for investigating the diversity of wild food plant knowledge and uses. Our analysis shows that future studies on wild food plants would profit from a mixed approach that combines in-situ and ex-situ methods.

This paper sheds light on the state of our knowledge of relationships between plant diversity and tropical forests ecosystem services. We systematically reviewed the empirical evidence of relationships between three ecosystem services: carbon stock and sequestration, timber provisioning and non-timber forest product (NTFP) provisioning, and three dimensions of plant diversity: taxonomic, functional and structural. We carried out meta-analyses to assess their validity across spatial scales and plot sizes. We found that indicators of all three dimensions of plant diversity have reported relationships with at least two of the studied ecosystem services, but there has been limited and inconsistent use of plant diversity indicators and little attention for relationships with timber and NTFP services. Nevertheless, we found that tree species richness showed robust significant positive correlations with carbon stock across the tropics, and that the geographical extent of the study area had a significant negative effect on the strength of this relationship, where the strength of the relationship decreased with increasing geographical extent. This paper reveals a knowledge gap for services other than carbon stock and shows that at local to regional spatial scales, synergies can be achieved between policies focused on biodiversity conservation and maintenance of carbon stocks.

The increasing rate of land use intensification and the rising evidence of climate change impacts raise concerns about the viability of valued non-timber forest product (NTFP)-providing trees. This calls for the assessment of the current status and future trajectories of their populations. Using population data collected from three land-use types (e.g., grazing lands, riverine areas and natural forest) in western Tigray, we evaluated the vulnerability of the multipurpose baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.) to human disturbances and climate change. The study was based on the premises that integrating ecological science with modeling tools and local knowledge would enhance the overall effectiveness of conservation strategies and community support. Therefore, based on field-based inventory, ecological niche modeling and a socioeconomic study, we characterized and mapped baobab current and future population distribution and documented local knowledge on the uses and management of the species. The characterization of the population structure showed that baobab stands were denser with larger-sized and taller trees in riverine areas and natural forest compared to grazing lands, suggesting adverse effects of human disturbances on its populations. Moreover, positively skewed size-class distributions with negative slopes in all land-use types indicated a low recruitment of juvenile trees to the adult stage. Climate change simulations using Maximum Entropy Algorithm (Maxent) revealed that future temperature increases would lead to significant reductions (41–100%) in baobab suitable habitats due to range contraction. The intensive harvesting of baobab leaves, branches and bark and lack of conversation practices as indicated by local communities, in combination with the risk of local extinction under future climate warming constitute serious threats for the viability of the species in western Tigray. The results suggest immediate interventions, such as planting baobab at up to 65 m higher in altitude, designing appropriate leaf and bark harvest strategies and protecting seedlings from livestock, will help guarantee the persistence of the species populations.

Mursidah, Lahjie AM, Masjaya, Rayadin Y, Ruslim Y. 2020. The ecology, productivity and economic of swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) farming in Kota Bangun, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 3117-3126. Swiftlet nest is a high-value non-timber forest product produced from the saliva of swiftlet birds. While the demands for this commodity continue to increase in global market, careless harvesting techniques have diminished the swiftlet population and the production of swiftlet nests, threatening its sustainability. One effort to solve this problem is by developing swiftlet farming which involves building swiftlet. This research aimed to analyze the ecology, productivity, and financial feasibility of swiftlet farming of different-sized swiftlet houses in Kota Bangun Subdistrict, East Kalimantan, Indonesia. This research used qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. Data were collected using purposive sampling to determine the location, sample of swiftlet houses, and interviews with respondents. Quantitative analysis on the financial performance of swiftlet farming was analyzed using the net Benefit-Cost Ratio (net B/C), Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Payback Period (PP) methods. The results showed that swiftlet nest production in Kota Bangun begins in the third year and ends between 27 and 45 years later, depending on the age and size of the house as well as the quality of the timber. The swiftlet house with a size of ​​512 m2 had the net B/C of 4.06, NPV of IDR 1,403.79 million, IRR of 30%, and PP of 5.44 years. The swiftlet house with a size of ​​1,600 m2 had the net B/C of 2.27, NPV of IDR 1,774.83 million, IRR of 24.09%, and PP of 9.4 years. Our study suggests that swiftlet farming is financially highly feasible, especially for the swiftlet house with a size of 512 m2.

China&rsquo, s collective forestland tenure reform has dramatically affected the business environment of domestic forest product firms. This study examines the impact of the said reform on the expected values of these firms, via the reaction of investors (as seen on the stock markets) towards the issuance of related policies. Based on signaling theory and the assumption that the Chinese stock markets are efficient in terms of work form, this study adopts an event study method and examines five policies during the 2003&ndash, 2009 period. The numbers of forest product firms used in the examinations herein differ among the policies and range from 21 to 29. This study found that the policies have differentially affected the expected values of forest product firms and that the impact on firms lacking forestland holdings is generally more significant than that on firms that hold forestland. The findings of this study enhance our understanding of the effect of collective forestland tenure reform on the value of forest product firms, they also have implications on forest product firms as they work to adapt to the reform.

Private forest (PF) program has the potential to be one of the most efficient forest management programs in Nepal but it has not gained the momentum compared to the other forest management regimes. Considering this, this paper aims to portray policy provisions, existing institutional arrangements as well as landholder experiences and perceptions over the existing mechanisms of PF registration, management, and forest product harvesting. Using the Sudoorpashchim province of Nepal as a case study, we conducted policy and literature reviews, key informant interviews, household surveys, and field observations. We found only 300 PFs registered in the Sudoorpashchim province, with lowland districts having the highest proportion (87%). Institutional arrangements and procedures for timber harvesting and selling were found to be lengthy and complex, with this being a major issue for PF owners with small forest areas. Government initiatives are inadequate to facilitate PF development due to poor implementation of policy provisions, as well as the lack of appropriate incentives and program packages. Despite a very small government investment in PF development, we found the return from PFs in terms of timber supply to be substantially higher than other forest management regimes. Among others, PF owners perceive the cumbersome regulatory procedures and lack of technical support to be the most pertinent factors responsible for the limited growth of PFs. Based on our results, we have discussed and recommended a number of policy and institutional measures to mainstream PF development programs, in order to support economic prosperity of the nation.

The role of digital technologies for fostering sustainability and efficiency in forest-based supply chains is well acknowledged and motivated several studies in the scope of precision forestry. Sensor technologies can collect relevant data in forest-based supply chains, comprising all activities from within forests and the production of the woody raw material to its transformation into marketable forest-based products. Advanced planning systems can help to support decisions of the various entities in the supply chain, e.g., forest owners, harvest companies, haulage companies, and forest product processing industry. Such tools can help to deal with the complex interdependencies between different entities, often with opposing objectives and actions—which may increase efficiency of forest-based supply chains. This paper analyzes contemporary literature dealing with digital technologies in forest-based supply chains and summarizes the state-of-the-art digital technologies for real-time data collection on forests, product flows, and forest operations, as well as planning systems and other decision support systems in use by supply chain actors. Higher sustainability and efficiency of forest-based supply chains require a seamless information flow to foster integrated planning of the activities over the supply chain—thereby facilitating seamless data exchange between the supply chain entities and foster new forms of collaboration. Therefore, this paper deals with data exchange and multi-entity collaboration aspects in combination with interoperability challenges related with the integration among multiple process data collection tools and advanced planning systems. Finally, this interdisciplinary review leads to the discussion of relevant guidelines that can guide future research and integration projects in this domain.

Quantitative forest sector modelling includes many model parameters that are treated as being deterministic in the modelling framework, but are in reality often highly uncertain. Few studies have addressed the impacts of this uncertainty and the main objectives of this article are to quantify major market uncertainties in the Norwegian forest sector and analyse their impacts on the results of a forest sector model study for Norway. The uncertainties are derived from historical time series of the prices and exchange rates for international forest products, and their possible impacts are addressed by applying a Monte Carlo approach. A probabilistic approach in modelling is found to have significant impacts on harvest and forest industry production levels. When uncertainty is included, the relative standard deviation for modelled harvest levels varies from 15% to 45%, while for forest products the standard deviations vary from 30% to 80%. We conclude that the most important uncertainty factor for the Norwegian forest sector is the development of international forest product markets, and improved data on demand should be given high priority in future forest sector modelling development.

The topic of social capital has been gaining many concerns from social researchers throughout the world, especially in collective action perspective. This study aimed to describe the organizational activities of the local forest management practices ( parak and rimbo ) as a social capital in collective action perspective. The research method is a case study of Koto Malintang and Simancuang people in West Sumatra. Collecting data was conducted by unstructured interviews, field observations, and document studies. Data analysis uses categorization and coding, document analysis, and historical analysis. Our findings were described in the context of decision-making, resources management and mobilization, communication, and conflict resolution. Collective action for decision-making involved the acquisition, allocation, and distribution mechanisms to divide land and forest product among local people. In the context of resources management and mobilization, they applied kinship relations among families, sub-clans, and clans to manage their resources. They then communicated their needs in any formal and informal meetings. When a conflict occurred in related to forest utilization, they applied an adat court to make a win-win solution. Nevertheless, the challenges of collective action are still about the resources availability, benefit equity, and external supports

Tropical rainforests harbor a high diversity of tree species, offering a potentially rich array of timber (TFP) and non-timber (NTFP) forest products. The supply of such products has been commonly evaluated at the local (plot) scale; however, little is known about how their availability and diversity change at the landscape scale, particularly in heterogeneous environments. This information is critical in designing landscape forest management programs. Here, we assess the extent to which the frequency, abundance, diversity, composition and productivity (aboveground biomass) of tree assemblages with potential forest products (PFPs) change across three landscape units (LUs) that differ in soil and topographic conditions. The study was carried out in a well-conserved old-growth tropical rainforest in southeastern Mexico. Three plots (0.5 ha each) were established per LU, in which all trees ≥ 10 cm were inventoried, taxonomically identified and assigned to eight forest product categories. General linear models, multiple regression and ordination analysis (CCA) were used to assess structural and compositional changes in the tree assemblages supplying different PFPs among LUs and along soil physicochemical gradients. More than half (94 species, 57%) of the total number of identified species (165) had one or more PFPs, mostly related to timber products. Ordination analysis showed that the abundance of species with different PFPs has a heterogeneous distribution among LUs, mostly related to changes in soil nitrogen, pH and aluminum saturation. Variation among LUs in terms of tree biomass was strongly driven by soil available phosphorus and soil physiological depth. Each LU had a different potential to provide forest products, producing a diverse mosaic of PFPs within the landscape. Decisions concerning sustainable forest management should consider such variability in the availability and diversity of forest products across landscapes, as well as the environmental factors that govern this spatial variation.

Forest conversion has been identified as one of the several bottlenecks affecting upon the major infrastructure projects in Nepal, especially in the energy and transport sectors. Nepal’s policy requires at least 40% of its land cover under forest. This means if any forest land is converted to non-forest land, it must be compensated with an equivalent area, preferably in the similar ecotype in the nation. In addition, a specified number of trees must be planted for the number of trees felled in the project site, and the site must be managed and protected for five years by the developers. These provisions have led to growing resentment between the developers and the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation (MFSC), leading to delay in providing forest lands for infrastructure projects. With a view to develop mechanisms for the government to rapidly provide forest land for nationally important infrastructure projects, the Government databases were examined to analyze the forests handed over to the developers for non-forestry uses. The data showed that a total of 14,028.4 ha of forest area were handed over to the developers for non-forestry uses until the end of 2015. On an average, 263.8 ha forest area was found to be handed over to the developers between the period of 2010–2013. However, there is a declining trend of forest handed over for non-forestry purposes in the recent years. The decline could be due to the strict enforcement of the legal provision which limits the conversion of forest areas to non-forest areas except in the case of the “national priority projects”. It has been recommended that the conversion of forest for infrastructure development should be examined with a holistic perspective by taking all the related components of forest conversion into consideration, from providing forest land for replacement planting. It is recommended that the Forest Product Development Board (FPDB), a parastatal organization under the MFSC, should be entrusted with the work of plantation related to forest conversion. The fund for this work should flow directly from the developers to the FPDB. The possibility of forming a land bank to facilitate the work of the FPDB is also recommended.Banko Janakari, Vol. 27, No. 1, Page: 60-64

Ownership of private forestland is changing rapidly, especially in areas owned by industrial forest product companies. Following divestment by industrial owners, forested lands are increasingly likely to move from intensive timber production to subdivision of the land, development and other private uses, or alternatively to conservation under public tenure. This research follows a unique dataset of forestland properties previously owned by industrial and corporate owners in Wisconsin from 1999 to 2014. A multinomial logistic regression showed that divested lands were more likely to be publicly purchased outright if they were adjacent to water, adjacent to public land, not adjacent to roads, and had higher housing value, while in contrast the predictors of conservation easement acquisition were location in large blocks outside of zoned townships. Properties were more likely to be parcelized if they were adjacent to a paved road, adjacent to water, smaller, in a zoned township, and had fewer years remaining in their tax program enrollment. In an era of rapid industrial land divestment, these findings indicate an important role played by public policies, including preferential tax programs and funds for land and conservation easement acquisition, in shaping whether private forestland is parcelized, conserved under private ownership, or publicly acquired.

Summary The harvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is a global phenomenon, the sustainability of which has been studied for many species at the individual and population level. However, the broader scale impacts of NTFP harvesting have been acknowledged but rarely examined. We assessed plant size and the soil attributes undercanopy and in the open, in replicate, paired harvested and non-harvested sites for three NTFPs differing in the extent of biomass removed, i.e. timber for firewood from a tree (Acacia karroo), fruits from a cactus (Opunita ficus-indica) and flowering culms from a grass (Cymbopogon marginatus). Soil variables tested included pH, resistivity, P, total N, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, K, Na, Ca and Mg. The extent of loss of soil nutrients decreased across the three NTFPs relative to the proportion of biomass removed. Thus, significant differences in more soil variables were evident for the firewood species, least for the fruit species and intermediate for the grass species. Lower soil pH, P, C and K were evident in soils collected underneath A. karroo, while losses in cations of Na, Ca and Mg were reported in soils underneath C. marginatus, and only NO3N losses were recorded underneath O. ficus-indica. Synthesis and applications. Our study reveals that while non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvesting may affect soil nutrients, this is not uniform between species and is likely to be a function of the extent of biomass removed and harvesting frequency. This indicates the need for caution in generalisations about the ecosystem-level impacts of NTFP harvesting as well as a concerted effort to better understand impacts at a greater range of scales than has been the case to date.

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) has been piloted in developing countries as a climate change mitigation strategy, providing financial incentives for carbon sequestration in forests. This paper examines the economic feasibility of REDD+ in community forests within two watersheds in central Nepal, Ludikhola and Kayarkhola, using data on forest product demand, carbon sequestration, carbon price and REDD+ related costs. The benefits of REDD+ are about $7994, $152, and $64 per community forest, per hectare of forest area, and per household in Ludikhola watershed compared to $4815, $29, and $56 in Kayarkhola watershed, respectively, under the business-as-usual scenario. Compared to the EU ETS carbon price ($10.3/tCO2e), the average break-even carbon price in community forests is much higher in Kayarkhola watershed ($41.8/tCO2e) and much lower in Ludikhola watershed ($2.4/tCO2e) when empirical estimates of annual expenditure in community forests are included in the analysis. The incorporation of annual expenditure estimates and opportunity cost of sequestered carbon (in the form of firewood prices in local markets) in the analysis suggests that community forests are economically infeasible for REDD+ at the prevailing carbon prices. The implication of our findings is that economic feasibility of REDD+ in community forests depends on the local contexts, carbon prices and the opportunity costs, which should be carefully considered in designing REDD+ projects.

In the Amazonian rainforest, many species of Burseraceae known locally as “breu” are explored for the medicinal and aromatic uses of their trunk exudates. This material also has a long-standing use by the forest communities in building and caulking boats as well as in the making of wooden utensils and general crafts. Breu are strongly aromatic due volatile terpenes in their composition that are separated from the crude resin by steam distillation. The remaining residue amorphous “hard resin” is primary used for application in woodworking. Despite the potential for application in paints, varnishes and odor fixatives, the commercialization of the hard resin has not surpassed the local market level. In order to achieve and establish a more valorized market for this Amazonian non-timber forest product, the existing and potential demands need to be estimated, a draft of the production chain needs to be drawn up and care needs to be taken to provide products of the highest possible quality. This study aimed to identify and organize the main issues necessary for the attainment of these goals and its value chain, and identify the technologies that would improve the quality of the Amazonian breu as a raw material. A review of the data available in the literature and the analytical techniques that could be applied to generate standards for the extraction, purification, and analysis of the hard resin fraction was made. Quality issues based on physicochemical standards might affect the productive chain by: i) helping to consolidate the appropriate methodologies for collecting and storing the raw material; ii) adding value and qualifying the primary improvement processes and iii) supporting the certification of the raw materials for commercialization. Potentiate this material to reach high-level markets might boost the production demand and improve the rain forest communities’ income.

Background: Predictive models shed light on aboveground fungal yield dynamics and can assist decision-making in forestry by integrating this valuable non-wood forest product into forest management planning. However, the currently existing models are based on rather local data and, thus, there is a lack of predictive tools to monitor mushroom yields on larger scales. Results: This work presents the first empirical models for predicting the annual yields of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms and related ecosystem services in Pinus sylvestris and Pinus pinaster stands in northern Spain, using a long-term dataset suitable to account for the combined effect of meteorological conditions and stand structure. Models were fitted for the following groups of fungi separately: all ectomycorrhizal mushrooms, edible mushrooms and marketed mushrooms. Our results show the influence of the weather variables (mainly precipitation) on mushroom yields as well as the relevance of the basal area of the forest stand that follows a right-skewed unimodal curve with maximum predicted yields at stand basal areas of 30–40 m2∙ha− 1. Conclusion: These models are the first empirical models for predicting the annual yields of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms in Pinus sylvestris and Pinus pinaster stands in northern Spain, being of the highest resolution developed to date and enable predictions of mushrooms productivity by taking into account weather conditions and forests’ location, composition and structure. This work was partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (grant number RTI2018-099315-A-I00), by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MINECO) (Grant number AGL2015–66001-C3), by the Cost action FP1203: European Non-Wood Forest Products Network, and by the European project StarTree – Multipurpose trees and non-wood forest products (Grant number 311919). Sergio de Miguel and José Antonio Bonet benefited from a Serra-Húnter Fellowship provided by the Generalitat of Catalunya.

International audience; AbstractKey messageIn a major Australian city, water supply has been decoupled from forests as a result of management and climate change. Water yield and quality are closely related to forest cover and have been manipulated through broad-scale intervention. The forests remain important for biodiversity protection and considering water as a forest product will fund interventions that maintain the forest’s environmental values.ContextPerth, an Australian city of 2 million people and a potable water demand of 300 GL/year, occurs in a region that has experienced a decline in rainfall and a major reduction in surface runoff to water supply reservoirs over the last 40 years. This has led to a major impact on water policies, with the collapse of surface water supply from forested watersheds resulting in the almost complete substitution of Perth’s water supply with groundwater and desalinated water. Thus, water supply has been decoupled from forests and forest management processes.AimsIn this paper, we review the interactions between forest cover and water supply in the drying environment of south-western Australia, exploring studies on the hydrological effects of extensive deforestation for agricultural development, widespread reforestation, forest management, and reduced annual rainfall. We draw conclusions applicable to other regions that are experiencing the combined impacts of climate change and pressures from land-use intensification.ResultsWe find that streamflow and water quality are clearly linked to forest cover and this is affected by both climate and forest management. Streamflow increases with a reduction of forest cover (through deforestation or thinning) and decreases with reforestation and reduced rainfall. Stream salinity increases with deforestation and decreases with reforestation. Hydrological responses occur where forest cover treatments have been applied and maintained at watershed-scales. Surprisingly, where water yield or quality has been improved, this has not been rewarded financially and there is a need to develop methods of financing treatments to maintain streamflow.ConclusionWhereas forests were initially maintained for water and timber supply, with biodiversity protection as a co-benefit without a defined value, the decoupling of forests from water supply has substantially reduced the financial resources for any form of direct forest management. As the forests remain important for biodiversity protection, a key recommendation is to consider water as a forest product and thus provide funds for watershed-scale treatments, such as forest thinning, that maintain the forest’s environmental values in a drying climate.

Mountains are critical ecosystems that have a strong influence far beyond their topographic boundaries. More than 50 million people inhabit the Himalayas, and more than one billion people depend on the ecosystem services they provide. Anthropogenic activities have driven concurrent deforestation and regeneration in the Himalayas, and interventions to reduce forest loss and promote forest recovery require a synthetic understanding of the complex and interacting drivers of forest change. We conducted a systematic review of case studies from 1984 to 2020 (n = 137) and combined a system dynamics approach with a causal network analysis to identify, map and articulate the relationships between the drivers, actors and mechanisms of forest change across the entirety of the Himalayan mountain range. In total, the analysis revealed five proximate drivers, 12 underlying drivers, two institutional factors and five ‘other’ factors connected by a total of 221 linkages. Forest change dynamics have been dominated by widespread smallholder agriculture, extensive non-timber forest product extraction, widespread commercial and non-commercial timber extraction, and high rates of agricultural abandonment. Underlying drivers include population growth, poor agricultural productivity, international support for development projects, and successful community forest management systems. Contradictory linkages emerge from a combination of contextual factors, which can have negative impacts on conservation goals. Global processes such as shifts in governance, transnational infrastructure-development programs, economic slowdowns, labor migrations and climate change threaten to destabilize established dynamics and change forest trajectories. The underlying and proximate drivers interact through multiple pathways that can be utilized to achieve conservation goals. Based on this analysis, we highlight five thematic focus areas to curtail forest loss and promote recovery: (1) decreasing the population pressure, (2) sustainable increase of agricultural productivity, (3) strengthening of forest management institutions, (4) leveraging tourism growth and sustainable infrastructure expansion, and (5) fuel transition and establishing firewood plantations on degraded land. The broader adoption of systems thinking, and specifically a system dynamics approach and causal network analysis, will greatly enhance the rigour of policy development, help design site-specific interventions at multiple spatial scales which can respond to local and global changes, and guide deeper inquiry to enhance our understanding of driver-forest dynamics.

SUMMARY While gender issues are becoming increasingly integrated in international environment and development policies, the simplistic manner in which they are treated holds scant promise for real change. In the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program in Burkina Faso, women are targeted in projects promoting non-timber forest product commercialisation aimed to incentivise forest conservation. Such policies are often based on essentialist assumptions about what men and women do, ignoring that social relations of inequality need to be understood in context. Drawing on intersectional theory this study analyses REDD+ documents, and data about resource use in two villages in Burkina Faso, showing how the participatory approach in Burkina's REDD+ program is unlikely to encourage currently marginalised voices to be heard in existing forest management organisations. Rather, the lack of acknowledgement of intersecting relations of inequality leads to crucial aspects of NTFP res...

SUMMARY Non-timber forest product (NTFP) commercialisation can have both detrimental and positive effects on the livelihoods of indigenous peoples yet there is a paucity of empirical studies from which to draw conclusions, especially when economic activities are linked to traditional use and knowledge. Based on research conducted in arid areas of north-western Namibia with indigenous Himba communities, this paper assesses the social and economic effects of commercialising the traditional perfume plant Commiphora wildii, used by Himba as part of a daily personal care ritual. Results show improved access to food, education and health care as a result of the income gained and increased benefits to women, but also illustrate the complexities and inter-related nature of many components and the difficulties of drawing generalised conclusions. These results concur with literature showing that NTFP commercialisation is an important strategy to diversify livelihoods and thus decrease vulnerability to climate varia...

In terms of global forest product market developments, the twenty-first century has been in many ways very different from the twentieth century—striking structural changes have taken place. The global forest sector can be interpreted to be in a phase of creative destruction—an era characterized by a major decline of a number of established products and businesses, and simultaneous emergence of new products and businesses. The forest product research field appears to be lacking the tools for formally assessing the significance and extent of the changing production and consumption patterns. That is, the mainstream of quantitative forest product market research has relied to a large extent on forest sector modelling, focusing on questions related to the impacts of policies, sufficiency of wood resources, trends in the production of primary wood products, and international competitiveness. In doing so, they have paid less emphasis on some of the equally important questions, such as value added development, employment issues, structural changes, the diffusion of new products and services, and the realistic contribution of the forest-based sector to the global sustainability challenges. When considering the importance of global forest product markets to the economy, employment and forests, and the changes taking place in the markets, the scale of research on forest product markets is alarmingly low. This review clearly points to a need to significantly increase the volume of academic research and education on the global and regional forest-based product markets.

Summary Non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvest is frequently accompanied by resource management practices that interact with the harvesting itself, other disturbances and abiotic conditions. These interactions, in turn, lead to diverse environmental effects. Few studies focus on these practices in the context of harvesting NTFPs, product properties and environmental impacts, including biological invasions. In Pine woodlands in Eastern Bhutan, Cymbopogon flexuosus East Indian Lemon Grass is harvested and distilled to obtain essential oil, an economically important NTFP. Prescribed fires are applied in late winter (before annual harvest in summer) to induce regeneration of new tillers with increased essential oil content. This practice is based on local ecological knowledge and renders the utilization of C. flexuosus economically viable. On two sites with contrasting stand structure, we evaluated the effects of different prescribed burning regimes (no burning vs. burning with two levels of frequency and intensity) on the sustainability of annually harvested C. flexuosus, regarding cover, biomass yield, essential oil yield and quality. At the same time, we evaluated the effects of prescribed burning on the spread of the invasive shrub Chromolaena odorata. Cymbopogon flexuosus biomass declined over time, likely as a result of harvesting. In more closed stands, it was moreover marginally negatively influenced by fire. We confirmed local ecological knowledge regarding significantly higher essential oil yield on burned plots, without differences between fire regimes. In open stands, fire led to rapid expansion of C. odorata, specifically with frequently applied, higher intensity fires. Additionally, the spread of C. odorata showed adverse effects on C. flexuosus cover. Synthesis and applications. Our results highlight the importance of studying the wider impacts of non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvest. We confirmed local ecological knowledge that fire increases lemon grass essential oil yield, making prescribed burning an attractive land management tool for farmers. Nevertheless, the practice of annual harvesting may lead to resource decline that may be exacerbated by fire in closed stands. Caution needs to be practiced on open sites where invasive C. odorata may spread rapidly after fires. Management needs to focus on preventing concentration of annual harvesting and associated prescribed burning in the same areas. Amending national forestry rules to legalize fire as a land management tool can support local economies and potentially prevent wildfires that regularly devastate human infrastructure across eastern Bhutan.

A challenging issue in landscape ecology is the evaluation of changes in a forest landscape following a disturbance. This evaluation usually entails examining changes in the forest inventory, which represents the best information available for a given forest region. Our aim was to extend existing methods used to evaluate forest inventory to include additional variables, such as value-based forest product options, wood fibre attributes, and ecosystem services. Inclusion of such variables in forest inventory evaluations would allow research results to be presented from an economic perspective, which is often required for policy development and forest management decision-making. We developed a value-based framework to evaluate forest inventory and implemented it in the wood fibre value simulation model. We then used a local data set from Manitoba, Canada, to show how the model can be applied to the mapping of new inventory layers to facilitate the evaluation of landscape changes. Five new inventory layers are mapped including bioenergy and heating value that can be directly used for evaluating landscape changes, and wood density, fibre length, and pulp yield, which can be combined with total wood volume to derive new variables or indices to express changes in landscape conditions. Our model can contribute to the assessment of landscape changes by indicating the values a forest can have when it is used for different conservation or utilization purposes. The model can also support improved decision-making with respect to the management of forest resources.

Forest stand structure could be used as one of the variables in deciding the possibility to harvest forest product. On logged-over forests, data and information over stand structure could become the basis for decision making for harvesting. To measure and analyze yield on logged-over forest, each forest management unit (IUPHHK) is obligated to establish Permanent Sample Plots (PSPs) for monitoring the growth and yield of the managed stand. In some of the plots, maintenances and thinning treatments are applied while other plots are not treated. The results, after several years of observations, showed that there was a difference in stand structure (tree number) of each diameter class both in plots with treatment and without treatment. The rate of in-growth, up-growth and mortality varied between plots without and with treatment in each diameter class and length of time after harvesting. The average diameter increment of trees in the stands of the untreated plots was higher (0.60 cm yr -1 ) compared to the treated plots (0.55 cm yr -1 ).

Pine trees produce large amounts of oleoresin to defend against biotic threats. Resin is highly costly to produce and investment in its production must be accurately optimized in relation to allocation to other life functions such growth. As a result of these costs, resin production is highly variable both genetically (among and within species) and plastically (across temporal and spatial environmental heterogeneity). The relative contribution of these sources of variation is, however, far from being completely understood. Besides being a main defensive mechanism, pine resin is also a valuable non-timber forest product that is regaining attention as a renewable resource for different industrial sectors. Improving our knowledge on the main drivers of resin production is vital to fine-tune resin-tapping management, especially in regions with little tradition in resin-tapping such are the Atlantic areas of the Iberian Peninsula. Here, we assessed resin flow and growth in a network of seven Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) provenance tests established in North West Spain to explore the within species variation in resin flow, the plasticity of resin flow across sites and across the season and the (phenotypic and genotypic) relationships between resin flow and tree growth. Resin flow was assessed in three contrasting Maritime pine populations at three times within the season using a micro-tapping procedure that predicts well the resin yield potential for exploitation purposes. Results supported the theoretical predictions as resin flow significantly varied among populations, with populations from more favorable environmental conditions producing less resin than those from harsher conditions. Resin flow was positively correlated with tree size at the phenotypic level. However, the genetically-based relationship between growth potential and resin flow was markedly negative. Fast growing populations produced less resin than slow growing origins. Resin flow was also highly plastic across sites and across seasons, with resin flow consistently increasing towards the end of the growing season. Temperature and water deficit immediately before sampling emerged as main drivers of the observed variation in resin flow across sites and seasons. Results are valuable to understand the extremely large variation in defensive investment on resin-based defenses in conifer species, to model the potential of Atlantic Maritime pine forest for resin tapping, and to fine-tune the resin-tapping management of these forests.

Xu, C.; Li, X.F.; Shen, A., and Zhou, K., 2020. Study on the impact of 21st-century Maritime Silk Road initiative and cultural distance on China's forest products trade. In: Qiu, Y.; Zhu, H., and Fang, X. (eds.), Current Advancements in Marine and Coastal Research for Technological and Sociological Applications. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 107, pp. 403-407. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Strengthening maritime coopeation conforms to the development trend of the world. It is not only an inevitable choice for promoting more in-depth economic cooperation between countries, but also an important way for countries to promote regional peace and stability. Based on the panel data of forest products trade between China and 78 countries from 1995 to 2017, this study investigates the impact of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (CMSR) initiative and cultural distance on China's forest product trade. The findings suggest that the CMSR initiative significantly increased China's total forest product trade and exports. The cultural distance has a U-shaped relationship with China's total forest product trade and exports. This implies that, as the cultural distance increases, China's forest product trade and exports both show a trend of decreasing first and then increasing.

Quantifying the economic impacts of invasive species is an essential step in developing and prioritizing invasive species management. In particular, kudzu, Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. is an aggressive and non-native vine that not only causes ecological damage and reduces biodiversity, but can have multiple economic consequences such as loss of timber value and volume. Using current infestation locations in Oklahoma, southcentral USA, a Monte Carlo simulation was run to estimate the natural as well as anthropogenic spread rate of kudzu in the next five years. Simulations were supplemented with an economic impact analysis within the Impact Analysis for PLANing (IMPLAN) platform. To account for economic loss in the forest product industry, a replacement cost approach with a sensitivity analysis was conducted. Occurrence data collections revealed that current kudzu populations are already established in Oklahoma forests. The results demonstrate that by year five, total industry output could be reduced by $167.9 million, which will influence 780 jobs in the most extreme case scenario. The predicted economic loss due to kudzu expansion could act as an incentive for appropriate management practices and plans to be implemented.

Maple syrup is an important non-timber forest product derived from the sap of the sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall). However, maple syrup producers are facing a diversity of challenges, including: potential range shifts in the maple resource; increasing variability in the timing, duration and yield of sap flow and syrup operations; invasive species, pests and diseases; and intergenerational land and business transfer challenges. Members of Maple Syrup Producer Associations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan were surveyed to learn about their operations, adaptation strategies, concerns, and information needs. While many respondents indicated they have undertaken or plan to undertake adaptation activities, only 11% had done so out of specific concern over changing climate conditions. Climate-motivated activities included: being prepared to tap earlier and utilizing newer technology such as vacuum tubing or reverse osmosis to enhance sap collection and processing efficiency. Respondents were generally unlikely to consider planting climate-resilient maple cultivars or tapping trees other than sugar maple. They expressed the greatest concerns over tree health and forest pests, as well as their physical ability and family member interest to continue their operations. Boil season variability and weather issues were viewed with less concern. Respondents were generally optimistic that they can adapt to future conditions, likely in large measure through the adoption of new technologies, and they expect their syrup production levels to slightly increase in the future. If future climate scenarios play out, however, additional planning and adaptation strategies may be called for, particularly as they relate to forest health and productivity issues.

Within Europe new interests in the role and importance of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) are developing. This article analyses emerging perspectives on NWFP development in Europe and relates these to four main issues effecting NWFP developments in tropical countries: diversity in the contribution of NWFPs to (rural) livelihoods, centrality of culture, the gradient from NWFP extraction to monocultural cultivation, and the importance of local and regional markets. Whereas in tropical countries much attention has been given to the role of NWFPs as a basic livelihood asset, in European countries the focus is increasingly oriented on NWFPs as niche-marketed products or as well-being products embedded in recreation and pedagogic services. Four main development orientations may be distinguished. These are not uniformly distributed over Europe. Depending on socio-economic, cultural and ecological conditions five European regions with different characteristics in respect to NWFP use and development are identified.

Efforts to restore tropical forest ecosystem services depend on understanding the barriers to germination of species of economic and cultural interest. Here we use two important non-timber forest product species (NTFP: Inga capitata. Desv. – Fabaceae and Euterpe oleracea Mart. – Arecaeae) to compare germination across a forest regrowth gradient in the northeast Brazilian Amazon. Experimental treatments were used to examine the effects of mid to large-bodied vertebrates and litter cover on seed fate (germination, removal and invertebrate infestation) in 15 lowland sites within small-holder properties. Regrowth stage was classified into three groups, with five sites each of: late second-regrowth forest, early second-regrowth forest and abandoned pasture. We conducted a paired split-plot experiment using experimental plots composed of a vertebrate exclosure versus an open treatment and subplots with and without litter. We used Generalized Linear Mixed-Effects Models (GLMMs) to compare additive and interaction effects of treatments across regrowth stages compared with 15 paired control sites. We found that the effects of regrowth stage and exclosure were species specific and these effects differed between responses (germination, removal and invertebrate infestation). Clearing litter generated a significant effect only for invertebrate infestation, which increased in the cleared plots. Our findings show that seed removal limits germination success for both species across forest regrowth stages, with invertebrate infestation also having important but secondary effects. Increased removal and unfavorable abiotic conditions make direct seeding unviable in pasture sites. We suggest that direct seeding is a viable alternative for the establishment of these widely available NTFP species in late and early regrowth forests. Keywords: Amazon forest, Direct seeding, Forest succession, Forest regrowth, Forest restoration, Germination, Seed predator, Seed disperser, Vertebrate, Mammal

This paper was published on March 2017, Volume 22, Issue 3, 469–483pp, titled “Identification of structural breaks in the forest product markets: how sensitive are to changes in the Nordic region?” with errors referring to the units related to figure 1. Please see below.

Colorado's forests have been decimated by a mountain pine beetle outbreak. The mountain pine beetle introduces a blue-stain fungus into the trees, lowering the economic value of the wood. As a result, forest product manufacturing opportunities using beetle-killed trees are limited. One possibility is to use beetle-killed trees to make cut stock, which is lumber that has been cut into specified length, width, and thickness requirements from a cant, lumber, or glued-up panels. The White River Conservation District commissioned this study to determine if a relationship existed between the amount of time beetle-killed trees remain standing dead and the recovery rate for cut stock material from those trees. Conducted in north-central Colorado and south-central Wyoming, this study found that enough material does exist in beetle-killed lodgepole pine trees to produce cut stock but that a tree's diameter at breast height is a better predictor for the cut stock recovery rate from the logs rather than the ...

Forests play a fundamental role in the global carbon cycle and can be managed to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and conserve or sequester carbon. Global policy and environmental changes can affect regional consumption of forest products, as well as inter-regional trade of forest goods and services. This study analyzes global and regional change impacts on the production, consumption and trade of forest products in two Nordic countries, Finland and Sweden. Annual data on removal and trade (1964–2012) for roundwood and sawnwood is used to identify structural breaks based on Chow tests. According to the analysis, the time period is divided into two periods: t1 (1964–1980) and t2 (1981–2012). In the first period, breaks occurred in 1975 and 1976 in the Finnish model and no break is found in the Swedish model. In the second period, we identify breaks in 1991 and 1992 for the Finnish model and in 2004, 2005 and 2006 for the Swedish model. Although our findings have broad empirical support, we do not identify any specific incident as a direct cause of the changes in the consumption and trade patterns of the two types of wood in these countries. The models and analysis presented here can serve as methodological tools for policymakers to better understand the effects of structural changes in the production of forest goods and services in the Nordic region and globally.

A study was conducted to identify geographical variation in loblolly pine bark and wood properties at the whole-tree level and to quantify the responses in whole-tree bark and wood properties following contrasting silvicultural practices that included planting density, weed control, and fertilization. Trees were destructively sampled from both conventionally managed stands and various designed experimental trials established across the southern United States by various research cooperatives and forest product industries to quantify the bark and wood properties of loblolly pine. Bark (percentage bark, specific gravity [SG], and moisture content [MC]) and wood (SG, MC, green weight of wood/m 3 , and green weight of wood and bark/m 3 of volume) properties were measured from disks collected at multiple heights from sampled trees and used to compute the whole-tree bark and wood properties. Significant regional variation was observed for whole-tree bark and wood properties. Bark and wood SG showed an increasing trend from inland to coastal regions and vice versa for bark and wood MC. The effect of different silvicultural treatments on bark and wood properties were generally absent; but a significant effect on bark percentage, MC, and green weight of wood and bark/m 3 was observed for trees that received

Large mammals are vulnerable to extinction, and respond directly to ecological gradients within the forest and to the intensity of forest product use by humans. In this study, we evaluated the effects of differences in forest structure and human occupation history on the composition of medium and large-sized mammal assemblages of the terra-firme forests of the Anavilhanas National Park, one of the most oligotrophic Amazonian ecosystems. Mammal surveys were conducted along 11 linear transects of 4 km, six of which were located in areas once inhabited by people and managed until the year that the park was created (over 30 years ago), and five in areas that were not inhabited at that time. We detected 469 individuals of 26 species during diurnal and nocturnal sampling, and 11 additional species outside transects. Human occupation history was strongly related to forest structure components. Fruit biomass, canopy cover and tree size were strongly associated with uninhabited areas, and influenced the structure of mammal assemblages. A direct relationship between diet category and species size was observed. Large frugivore-herbivores and carnivores were more closely associated with areas with more fruit, larger trees and greater canopy cover. In contrast, small arboreal frugivore-omnivores associated more closely with open canopy and smaller trees. Our study indicated that the effects of human occupation history on forest structure are still evident three decades after the removal of local people from the park. This long-term effect can be explained by the low resilience of the Anavilhanas environments, demonstrating the fragility of mammal assemblages in face of anthropogenic variation in forest structure in the oligotrophic ecosystems of the Negro River basin.

A large number of economically disadvantaged people live around protected areas. Conservation efforts that focus on poverty alleviation, work on the premise that an increase in household wealth decreases use of forest resources. We surveyed 1222 households across four tiger reserves to test the paradigm that an increase in assets leads to reduced forest use and we also assess the effects of other socio-economic factors. We find that increase in assets may reduce Non-timber Forest Product (NTFP) collection, but may not necessarily reduce livestock numbers or use of wood as a cooking fuel. Households that faced more economic setbacks were more likely to state that they wanted more livestock in the future. Education is positively associated with choosing Liquefied Petroleum Gas as a cooking fuel in the future. We find site and resource-specific variation. Fifty percent of all households (range across sites: 6–98) want to collect NTFP while 91% (range: 87–96) want to retain or own more livestock over the next 5–10 years. Understanding current and future resource use will help plan context-specific conservation efforts that are better aligned with reducing specific pressures around protected areas. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-018-1064-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Edible ectomycorrhizal mushrooms (EEM) are a non-timber forest product that constitutes a valuable genetic resource and a nutritious and functional food containing antitumor, antidiabetes, antimicrobial, antihypertensive and antioxidant bioactive compounds, whose sustainable use can contribute to conservation of Neotropical forests. International commerce of some EEM annually is worth billions of dollars, while numerous EEM species represent a valuable food resource and an important source of income for thousands of families in countries with developing economies. Additionally, EEM can be used as biofertilizers which increase nutrient mobilization, health and survival of trees, therefore contributing to successful reforestations. The cultivation of some species of EEM has already been achieved, as in the case of the black truffles in Europe, while efforts in order to cultivate other species currently is being developed in different countries. During the last two decades, ethnomycological and biotechnological research registering EEM consumed in Mexico and selecting species feasible to inoculate Neotropical trees has been conducted by the authors. More than 250 EEM species have been recorded to be consumed as traditional food by 23 ethnic groups in the country; accounting for the second largest biodiversity of EEM worldwide, only after China. The sustainable use of EEM constitutes an important component of forest management, particularly in Neotropical areas with high degree of economic and social margination. Additionally, 25 species of EEM have been tested by the authors e.g. Laccaria, Hebeloma and Suillus species showing increased macro-(N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and micro-(Fe and Ca) nutrient mobilization, photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll a, b and total contents of inoculated plants compared with non-inoculated plants. Conspicuous ectomycorrhizal colonization, up to 100% in some cases, and production of EEM sporomes with 20 tested pine and oak species have demonstrated the feasibility of this biotechnology. Field trials developed in both low- and high-fertility soils have demonstrated increases in the survival of native inoculated pines and oaks; and initial production of EEM sporomes four years after the establishment of tree plantations has occurred. Molecular and metagenomic sequencing of the rRNA S1 and S18 genes studies conducted by the authors, have shown the persistence of the inoculated EEM and conspicuous changes in the microbiomes associated with mycorrhized and non-mycorrized root trees, respectively. This biotechnology has shown to increase natural production of EEM, demonstrating benefits to sustainable ecosystem management and, through successful reforestations, to mitigation of climate change. Keywords: Biodiversity conservation, Edible wild mushrooms, Ectomycorrhiza, Non-timber forest products, Environmental sustainability

Human-induced forest fragmentation poses one of the largest threats to global diversity yet its impact on rattans (climbing palms) has remained virtually unexplored. Rattan is arguably the world’s most valuable non-timber forest product though current levels of harvesting and land-use change place wild populations at risk. To assess rattan response to fragmentation exclusive of harvesting impacts we examined rattan abundance, demography and ecology within the forests of northeastern, Australia. We assessed the community abundance of rattans, and component adult (>3 m) and juvenile (≤3 m) abundance in five intact forests and five fragments (23–58 ha) to determine their response to a range of environmental and ecological parameters. Fragmented forests supported higher abundances of rattans than intact forests. Fragment size and edge degradation significantly increased adult rattan abundance, with more in smaller fragments and near edges. Our findings suggest that rattan increase within fragments is due to canopy disturbance of forest edges resulting in preferential, high-light habitat. However, adult and juvenile rattans may respond inconsistently to fragmentation. In managed forest fragments, a rattan abundance increase may provide economic benefits through sustainable harvesting practices. However, rattan increases in protected area forest fragments could negatively impact conservation outcomes.

We examined if smallholders that immigrated to the Amazon over the last 40 years (highway-era families) and households with historical ties to the region (rubber-era families) adopt different livelihood activities and land-use/land-cover (LULC) patterns, in four communities along the Tapajos River in the Brazilian Amazon. Using quantitative data, we characterized three portfolios of livelihood activities, each associated to different LULC. Both rubber-era and highway-era families practice a wide range of activities from all portfolios; however, families that have been in the region for several generations tend to adopt traditional activities (e.g., fishing, non-timber forest product gathering and sales), while recently settled families tend to practice agrarian activities more intensively (e.g., cattle ranching, sale of non-native crops). We then draw on qualitative data to examine some of the underlying reasons for these differences. While recognizing that livelihoods are complex systems with many influential factors, we reflect on some of the overlooked drivers of livelihood and LULC choices such as knowledge, visions of development, and the immaterial value and symbolic meaning of resources. We also reflect on how they shape intended land management choices and relate to household settlement histories. The implications for regional resource-use planning and future research are mentioned.

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.

SUMMARY Two major barriers to non-timber forest product (NTFP) commercialization are a thin market structure and ensuring long-term supply. There is a growing literature suggesting potential solutions to address these two issues. The majority of these solutions, however, marginalize the role of state institutions in favour of other institutional arrangements. This study used the example of Tricholoma matsutake (S. Ito and S. Imai) Singer commercialisation in South Korea to show that state institutions can play a leading role in addressing the thin market structure and ensuring long-term supply. Specifically, the Korea Forest Service (KFS) and National Forestry Cooperatives Federation (NFCF) addressed the thin market structure through the provision of a supply channel, grading system, price-setting mechanism and guidelines for transportation. In order to help ensure long-term supply, the KFS and NFCF support and undertake forest management activities. This case study shows that state institutions should be...

Recent scholarship focuses on elite capture as a driver of social inequality and a source of policy failure across a wide range of governance initiatives. In the context of environmental governance, concerns center on perceived links between elite capture and decentralization, particularly in developing countries where decentralized natural resource governance has been widely implemented. But, there is limited empirical knowledge regarding if, and the conditions under which, decentralization might promote elite capture, or whether institutional design factors can militate against it. We examine how local institutional arrangements under forest sector decentralization affect the risk of elite capture of forest benefits, as well as the potential for a key institutional design factor (linkages to external organizations as an accountability-building mechanism) to mitigate this risk. We analyze forest product harvesting data as well as social, ecological, and institutional data from pre- and post-decentralization across 56 forests and 174 community groups in four countries. We employ hierarchical linear modeling to test the extent to which decentralization is associated with inequities in the distribution of forest harvest benefits within communities, and to characterize the institutional arrangements that affect elite capture outcomes. We find not only strong evidence for increased local rule-making under decentralization, but also significantly higher risk of elite capture of forest harvest benefits. This risk increases with increasing time since decentralization, but it is also substantially moderated in cases where an external organization was involved in organizing the local forest institution. Our findings highlight ways in which decentralization reforms are filtered by institutional arrangements to produce different outcomes, and generate new knowledge on micro-institutional factors that can reduce the risk of elite capture in decentralized environmental governance regimes.