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R. Smith, S. Cameron, S. Nadeau
Canadian Forest Service - Atlantic Forestry Centre
T. Beckley
Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of
New Brunswick
Rural Maritimers have
relied on their forests for centuries. When we think of that reliance,
our first thought is often of timber. In the past, timber products
were used for building ships, tanning hides, and making barrel staves.
Today we use timber for pulp, paper, dimensional lumber and engineered
wood products. However, the trees in the forest represent much more
than a repository of 'standing wood' and the forest is made up by
much more than 'just' trees.
Our forests can provide
virtually an unlimited variety of non-timber forest products (NTFPs).
These products or potential products include, but are not limited
to wild ginseng, maple sap products (e.g., syrup and candy) , fiddleheads,
balsam fir wreaths, paclitaxel from ground hemlock (the active ingredient
in the cancer-fighting drug Taxol®), edible mushrooms, and cedar
leaf oil. A comprehensive list of potential uses of forest plants
would be considerably longer. Given the diversity of potential products,
it is obvious that no one individual, group, or organization has
a monopoly on the knowledge about NTFPs, nor are the perspectives
the same on how they should be managed, if at all.
Fostering the exchange
of information among a diverse group of 'potential' NTFP partners
could prove to be problematic. Therefore, it was recognized that
a network of individuals
interested in NTFPs could help in overcoming this communication
challenge. The first step towards meeting this challenge occurred
in March of 2000, when the Fundy Model Forest, the First Nations
Forestry Program, and the Canadian Forest Service co-sponsored
a
workshop on NTFPs. The workshop featured government scientists,
entrepreneurs, First Nations members, non-profit groups, crafters,
extension workers, gatherers, and processors. Presentations focused
on the ethics of sustainable
harvests, cooperatives as models for business development,
scientific aspects of sustainability, and the different cultural
contexts in which these products are used. The purpose of the workshop
was to increase awareness of the richness of our region's forests,
and to expose a large number of people to the cultural significance
and economic potential of NTFPs. About 125 people attended the two-day
event.
Our long-term goal is
to create a network of people who have an interest and expertise
in
various aspects of non-timber
forest products. We feel that while NTFP businesses
will never come close to matching the economic contribution of the
timber industry, they may still be important in the rural Maritime
economy. Our NTFP network is interested in sustaining rural Maritime
communities one household at a time. If, through our work, only
one rural household is lifted from poverty, or is able to remain
in a rural community as opposed to being forced into urban, "economic
refugee" status, we will consider our efforts successful. NTFP
businesses are not necessarily about creating full-time jobs. Rather,
they are about seasonal opportunities to supplement household incomes.
Many discount the potential
of NTFP development. However, it is important to recall that many
industries, such as the maple syrup/sap industry, and the balsam
industry, both wreaths and Christmas trees, were initially backyard
activities that were a part of rural household livelihood strategies.
For some, these activities retain this pattern, but at the same
time, these industries have grown to the point where they generate
millions of dollars in revenue for residents of this region.
Many NTFP businesses require very little in the way of capital investment.
There are many opportunities for "backyard" businesses
on woodlots, which is why the Maritime Provinces are a prime location
for these types of businesses. We have a populated forest landscape
in this region. NTFP businesses have low skill requirements, but
they may foster entrepreneurialism and help develop business skills.
Non-timber forest products
have always been and continue to be an important component of First
Nations culture. They are not only a part of "traditional"
Aboriginal lifestyles, they remain vital and central to the quality
of life of many First Nations members.
There are currently significant
knowledge gaps with respect to non-timber forest products. Some
of the information that needs to be addressed includes the following:
- How do they grow?
- How much can be sustainably
produced in natural forests?
- If demand exceeds that
natural production, how do we domesticate or cultivate the species
that have commercial potential?
- How to integrate timber
and non-timber systems for maximum yield of both crops?
- How much are NTFPs worth?
How much could they be worth?
- What role(s) do natural
disturbances play in NTFP production?
- What else is out there?
What new opportunities are there either for new products or adding
value to existing products?
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