Nontimber forest products in the United States: an analysis for the 2015 National Sustainable Forest Report
| Authors: | James Chamberlain, Aaron Teets, Steve Kruger |
| Year: | 2018 |
| Type: | General Technical Report |
| Station: | Southern Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.2737/SRS-GTR-229 |
| Source: | e-Gen. Tech. Rep. SRS-229, Asheville, NC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station |
Abstract
Worldwide, forest plants and fungi that are harvested for their nontimber products are critical for the health of the ecosystems and the well-being of people who benefit from the harvest. This document provides an analysis of the volumes and values of nontimber forest products in the United States. It presents estimates of the annual harvest for a number of product categories over five regions for the United States. Data for the analysis comes from records of harvest permits and contracts issued by the U.S. National Forests and Bureau of Land Management, other Federal agencies, as well as several industry sources. The data illustrate that nontimber forest products represent significant contributions to the country’s economy. The total value of the receipts from the issuance of permits and contracts to harvest nontimber forest products from Federal lands is estimated at $8.4 million in 2013. Estimated wholesale value of these products in that year was over $950 million. Total wholesale value, adjusted for trade, including firewood, posts and poles, and Christmas trees, is estimated at over $1 billion in 2013. There are challenges with reporting the full value of these products, but the framework to do so is improving.Sound Research audio clip of this publication is available.