Wild Harvests from Scottish Woodlands:
Social, cultural and economic values of contemporary
non-timber forest products
Marla Emery, Suzanne Martin and Alison Dyke
Forestry Commission, Edinburgh, May 2006
Wild Harvests and NTFPs -
a definition
"The term non-timber forest products, or NTFPs, is used in the context
of this study to refer to the plant and fungal material that is harvested
as well as items that may be made from these materials. The species documented
in this study include those which are not purely forest-related. This
reflects the fact that woodlands contain open spaces, that peoples’
gathering activities occur across different habitats and also that species
do not necessarily occur where we might expect them."
Summary of the report findings:
From a member of the House of Lords in his castle to an
unemployed gentleman in a fisherman's cottage, from a biology teacher
on the outskirts of Dumfries to a young farmer on the Black Isle, collecting
non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is a source of joy and satisfaction
for many in contemporary Scotland. In the autumn of 2004, as part of the
Wild Harvests From Scottish Woodlands project, more than thirty people
were interviewed about the wild edibles, medicinals, and craft materials
they collect and the part that collecting plays in their lives.
As a group, research participants mentioned 208 NTFPs derived from 97
vascular plants and 76 fungi and other non-vascular species. Edibles uses
were most common, followed by beverages, craft, garden and medical
uses. Most NTFP gathering is for personal and family use, followed in
importance by gifts, informal economy, and barter. Gatherer profiles
are used to illustrate that with commercial collection, often 'the sums
don't add up', but the importance of NTFP collection for personal and
cultural identity, social cohesion, public health and happiness is vast.
The results suggest there is potential for active management of NTFPs
in public and private woodlands as well as some cautions. A number of
recommendations for policy, practice and future research are made.
Full
report available online from Forest Research
More details about the
Wild Harvests project on the projects page
Wild Harvests data on ForestHarvest species database
|