Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) include all woodland resources, both plant and animal, other than timber. Examples include:
NTFPs represent another alternative use of forestry which has been promoted by Reforesting Scotland and now seems to be becoming more mainstream.
Reforesting Scotland has held seminars on various aspects of NTFP production and marketing. Most recently we co-organised "The Future for Wild Harvests in Scotland", at Beauly, by Inverness in May 2006. More details on the ForestHarvest website.
Reforesting Scotland maintains the ForestHarvest website, Scotland's only website dedicated to providing
information about the diversity of products available from Scottish woodlands.
One of the purposes of this site is to help develop the untapped market potential of these products, and it includes information on gathering, management and trading of NTFPs, including a database of buyers and case studies of operating businesses.
Click here to go to the ForestHarvest website.
In 2005 Reforesting Scotland launched the Rural Alternatives Shared Futures project to support four partner communities in developing NTFP use locally, and to demonstrate the potential of NTFPs to provide cultural, environmental and economic benefits throughout Scotland.
See the Rural Alternatives Shared Futures page for more details and updates.
Responding to recommendations made at last year's Wild Harvests seminar in
Beauly, this project evaluated the potential for a trade body to represent
and support NTFP enterprises in Scotland, and discussed ideas for a labelling scheme
to identify sustainable wild-harvested and woodland products from Scotland. Representatives of a
range of businesses took part in in-depth interviews, so we could learn more about their needs
and views. They also helped us to build up a picture of trends and the economic value of the sector.
At the same time, information was gathered so that the ForestHarvest business directory can be developed and expanded to give increased online support and information for traders, gatherers, customers and everyone with an interest in NTFPs in Scotland.
This project was funded by Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Enterprise, and the research was conducted between January 2007 and March 2007.
For more details contact Jake Paul () or Emma Chapman ().
The Scottish Working Woods label is designed to promote both timber and non-timber products from Scotland's woods. Reforesting Scotland helped to ensure that the label procedures will work for non-timber businesses, reporting on the findings of the NTFP Sector Research and Development Project.
The label was launched at the Touchwood festival in June 2007, with representatives from trade associations, the Forestry Commission, the press, and woodland products businesses among others. Refreshments included wild garlic cheese and rowan berry jelly kindly donated by local businesses and sourced by Reforesting Scotland. Reforesting Scotland also arranged a display of products from NTFP businesses, which was displayed at Touchwood and then later in the month at Edinburgh Treefest and at the Big Tent in Falkland.
The label is owned and managed by a consortium of trade associations in Scotland. In the absence of a trade association for non-timber products, Reforesting Scotland has agreed to act as a contact point for non-timber businesses interested in using the label. You can contact Reforesting Scotland to register your interest (email ). In the coming months we intend to put in place a co-ordinator, to administer applications for the label and to work with businesses towards establishing a trade association.
The Scottish Working Woods label development and launch were funded by Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Enterprise. To find out more, visit the Scottish Working Woods website.
Issue 29 (Spring 2003) of the Reforesting Scotland Journal has a special feature on non-timber forest products, and contains the following articles:
If you wish to buy this issue, please see the information on ordering back issues on the Reforesting Scotland Journal page.
Reforesting Scotland has also published an information sheet on non-timber forest products as part of the Community Woodland Information Pack. The sheet is divided into the following sections:
Information on ordering this sheet can be found on the information sheets page.
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