DOCSLIB.ORG

Wildcrafting Non-Timber Forest Products — an Overview

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Wildcrafting Non-Timber Forest Products — an Overview University of Kentucky CCD Home CCD Crop Profiles College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Wildcrafting Non-Timber Forest Products — An Overview Introduction Kentuckians have been collecting plant products from forests, meadows, and other natural habitats for generations. This practice, commonly referred to as wildcrafting, is a tradition in many areas of the state, especially Appalachia. Plant materials other than timber that are harvested from the forest are generally referred to as non- timber forest products (NTFPs) or special(ty) forest products. Although often collected for personal use, many Marketing wildcrafted materials also have commercial value NTFPs are specialty items that fill a very narrow and could offer a means of providing additional market niche. Many are seasonal either in terms income. Wood lot owners may harvest NTFPs of availability or marketability. The NTFP to provide temporary income while waiting for collector needs to make sure there is a demand their timber stand to mature or as another means for their products and that they can meet the to supplement their income. NTFPs can provide buyer’s specifications. As with any niche item, a way to diversify and expand an existing it is critical to secure a market in advance for woodland enterprise. NTFPs. Direct market outlets, depending on the item collected, can include farmers markets, The term NTFP is also applied to plants that are roadside stands, nurseries, locally owned grocery “farmed” by purposely manipulating the forest stores, craft stores, and the Internet. Agritourism environment, such as in the woods-cultivation events and county fairs can present opportunities of ginseng. This profile, however, is limited to for selling wildcrafted goods. Bed-and-breakfast the discussion of commercially valued NTFPs inns and Kentucky tourist gift shops may also be that are harvested as they occur naturally on interested in purchasing native plant materials one’s own property. Separate profiles cover and/or products. the importance of sustainable wildcrafting and some of the NTFPs offer an advantage to legal issues associated with farmers who market directly to wildcrafting. consumers at farmers markets Agriculture & Natural Resources • Family & Consumer Sciences • 4-H/Youth Development • Community & Economic Development Educational programs of the Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of race, color, age, sex, religion, disability, or national origin. and other direct market outlets. Products such as advance. More often than not, there will be no nuts, decorative or ornamental plants, and plant established outlet and the wildcrafter will need by-products can help fill up a market stand into to locate potential buyers and create their own the fall months. Preserves and candies may be market. Product diversity will be essential to the manufactured to amend cash flow in the early success of any NTFP wildcrafting enterprise. season months. Growers with property that includes timber and other marginal lands may Because local wildcrafters may not be able to find that adding low-input NTFPs extends their supply a dependable quantity of plant material, marketing window into “off-season” months. they are often unable to compete at the wholesale level. Cooperating with other wildcrafters, Some NTFPs, particularly medicinals, have either informally or by a formal marketing an established wholesale market. Generally, cooperative, is a way for smaller harvesters to wildcrafters interested in these larger markets sell meet the demands of these larger markets. It to a broker or wholesale buyer either at a buying is advisable to contact the wholesale buyer in station or company location. Wild ginseng is an advance to be sure the correct plant species at the example of a medicinal that is regulated by the right developmental stage is being collected. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and can only be written contract helps to protect both the buyer sold through licensed dealers. A list of dealers and the collector. can be obtained from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA). Processing NTFPs can extend their shelf life and transform a seasonal raw edible, such as Market Outlook wild berries or mushrooms, into one that can be Nationwide, NTFPs represent a market sector marketed year round. It also adds value to the that has expanded with interest in native plants raw product, increasing the potential for greater and holistic lifestyles. Natural and organic food returns. Preparing gift baskets of wildcrafted products have experienced tremendous growth edibles, as well as other packaging techniques, in response to consumer preferences. An are other ways to add value. Adding value to increased interest in local products, combined decoratives can mean crafting raw materials with local and state promotional efforts, such into finished products. Holiday greenery, such as the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s as wreaths, roping, and table décor, represent a Kentucky Proud program, could also help growing industry. fuel a greater demand for crafts and value- added products made from native wildcrafted Examples of NTFPs materials. A long and varied list of culinary, medicinal, and decorative NTFPs can be collected in the wilds of Marketing NTFP products will require a Kentucky for commercial use. General examples considerable investment in time and energy, not are provided in the sections below. Refer to to mention creativity. Aggressive marketing the table for a partial listing of some specific, techniques will be needed to move these potentially valuable native and naturalized plant products. For example, selling wildcrafted genera present in Kentucky. products to the floral trade will require targeting florists who specialize in imaginative and unique Culinary arrangements. Locating florists of this type can Edible products for culinary uses include fruits, be difficult; many florists prefer the predictability berries, and nuts from forest trees and shrubs. of purchasing plant material from large west coast Leaves of some herbaceous plants may be used wholesalers that can fill orders several months in for greens or dried herbs. A number of wild mushroom species can also be collected for for timber harvest. Vines and willow branches culinary use. Some of these, such as morels, may be suitable for basketry and other craft are considered a delicacy and are highly prized. projects. Potpourri products made from the right Mushroom collectors must be particularly combination of dried aromatic leaves, flowers, careful in their identification since there are often herbs, seeds, and needles are another popular poisonous look-alikes that can be mistaken for way to use natural products. the edible species. Forest Inventory Some culinary products may be marketed with Regardless of whether the wildcrafter owns little or no processing, such as fresh berries, their own woodlot or has entered into a legal pawpaws, and nuts. However, because of their arrangement with another landowner, it is a good fragile nature, wild fruit and berries are often idea to inventory the forest property. The inventory processed to extend their shelf life. The possible should include the common and scientific names products that can be prepared from wildcrafted of all plant material, the approximate quantity, fruit are seemingly endless: wines, juices, jellies/ comments on quality, the date, and other pertinent jams/preserves, syrups, ice cream/sherbets, notes. A detailed property map will be a useful sauces, candies, sauces, and baked goods. tool in identifying the location of potential plant Mushrooms and herbs may only require minimal materials. Due to seasonal variations in flora, processing since they can be sold fresh or dried. the inventory should be conducted at least three These dried products also lend themselves well times a year for the first few years. Depending to such value-added products as dried soups, on the wildcrafter’s own botanical background, sauces, dip mixes, and teas. this type of detailed inventory could require the services of a professional. Medicinals Plants or plant parts with therapeutic value Harvesting, Storing, and Processing may be marketed for use as medicinals, food Before collecting any plant material, be sure supplements, or herbal remedies. These products the target plant is not considered endangered, are often dried and sold to wholesale buyers or threatened, rare, or at risk. Refer to the various dealers. up-to-date national, state, and local plant lists available online. Suggested sites are listed below. Decoratives Following sustainable collection procedures This category includes plant materials used for will help ensure the continuation of the species handicrafts, as well as those utilized in the floral and the preservation of Kentucky’s flora. industry. The types of plant materials that can be used for these purposes are extensive and varied. Wildcrafted products are harvested by hand or Branches that are unique, bearing berries, or with simple hand-held tools. Harvest and storage encrusted with lichen provide interesting accents times will vary depending on the plant material to floral arrangements. Some dormant woody and use. Timing of harvest is critical for products stems can be sold either before or after they have that deteriorate quickly after reaching their peak. been forced to flower. Flowering stems, evergreen Some products, such as wild berries, can have boughs, cones, and seed pods have numerous a short shelf life
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Forest Farming
    Forest Farming Ken Mudge CY ROSE N NA Many sections of the Northeast have been reforested over the past century. Extensive forest cover is seen in this view from Wachu- sett Mountain in central Massachusetts. armers harvest crops from their fields, and agroforestry—a multidisciplinary approach to loggers harvest trees from their forests, agricultural production that achieves diverse, Fbut what do forest farmers harvest? The profitable, sustainable land use by integrating answer is an eclectic collection of non-timber trees with non-timber forest crops. forest crops like maple syrup, medicinal herbs, While some other agroforestry practices begin fruits, gourmet mushrooms, and nuts. with planting young trees that take years to Forest farming is an approach to forest man- mature, forest farming involves planting non- agement that combines some of the manage- timber forest crops beneath the canopy of an ment practices of conventional forestry with established forest. In other words, other agro- those of farming or gardening to achieve forestry practices bring the forest to the crops, an environmentally and economically sus- whereas forest farming brings the crops to the tainable land-use system. It is one of several forest. In this regard it is helpful to consider related practices that fall under the domain of the role of forest farming in overall forest man- Forest Farming 27 agement. A forest farm should be designed to bearing trees including walnuts and peaches, emulate as much as possible a natural forest. but there is no evidence of deliberate culti- This includes characteristics of a healthy forest vation of useful crops beneath the canopy of ecosystem such as species diversity, resilience established forest.
    [Show full text]
  • Non-Timber Forest Products
    Agrodok 39 Non-timber forest products the value of wild plants Tinde van Andel This publication is sponsored by: ICCO, SNV and Tropenbos International © Agromisa Foundation and CTA, Wageningen, 2006. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photocopy, microfilm or any other means, without written permission from the publisher. First edition: 2006 Author: Tinde van Andel Illustrator: Bertha Valois V. Design: Eva Kok Translation: Ninette de Zylva (editing) Printed by: Digigrafi, Wageningen, the Netherlands ISBN Agromisa: 90-8573-027-9 ISBN CTA: 92-9081-327-X Foreword Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are wild plant and animal pro- ducts harvested from forests, such as wild fruits, vegetables, nuts, edi- ble roots, honey, palm leaves, medicinal plants, poisons and bush meat. Millions of people – especially those living in rural areas in de- veloping countries – collect these products daily, and many regard selling them as a means of earning a living. This Agrodok presents an overview of the major commercial wild plant products from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. It explains their significance in traditional health care, social and ritual values, and forest conservation. It is designed to serve as a useful source of basic information for local forest dependent communities, especially those who harvest, process and market these products. We also hope that this Agrodok will help arouse the awareness of the potential of NTFPs among development organisations, local NGOs, government officials at local and regional level, and extension workers assisting local communities. Case studies from Cameroon, Ethiopia, Central and South Africa, the Pacific, Colombia and Suriname have been used to help illustrate the various important aspects of commercial NTFP harvesting.
    [Show full text]
  • Docket No. Fda–2011–N–0921
    DOCKET NO. FDA–2011–N–0921 BEFORE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS OF THE AMERICAN HERBAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION ON PROPOSED RULE for STANDARDS FOR THE GROWING, HARVESTING, PACKING, AND HOLDING OF PRODUCE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION November 22, 2013 Docket No. FDA–2011–N–0921 November 22, 2013 Prefatory remarks ................................................................................................................................ 1 1. The broad and deep impact of the new regulations necessitates regulatory restraint ...................... 2 2. The same controls are neither necessary nor appropriate for non‐RTE foods as for RTE foods ......... 3 3. Wherever possible, food processors rather than farmers should ensure the biological safety of food ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Wherever possible, FDA should avoid burdening farmers and should rely on food processors rather than farmers to ensure biological safety ................................................................................ 7 3.2 Farmers are generally ill‐equipped to comply with either Part 112 or 117 ................................. 7 3.3 Food processors are the appropriate entity to ensure the biological safety of food wherever possible ...........................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Old-Growth Forests
    Pacific Northwest Research Station NEW FINDINGS ABOUT OLD-GROWTH FORESTS I N S U M M A R Y ot all forests with old trees are scientifically defined for many centuries. Today’s old-growth forests developed as old growth. Among those that are, the variations along multiple pathways with many low-severity and some Nare so striking that multiple definitions of old-growth high-severity disturbances along the way. And, scientists forests are needed, even when the discussion is restricted to are learning, the journey matters—old-growth ecosystems Pacific coast old-growth forests from southwestern Oregon contribute to ecological diversity through every stage of to southwestern British Columbia. forest development. Heterogeneity in the pathways to old- growth forests accounts for many of the differences among Scientists understand the basic structural features of old- old-growth forests. growth forests and have learned much about habitat use of forests by spotted owls and other species. Less known, Complexity does not mean chaos or a lack of pattern. Sci- however, are the character and development of the live and entists from the Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station, dead trees and other plants. We are learning much about along with scientists and students from universities, see the structural complexity of these forests and how it leads to some common elements and themes in the many pathways. ecological complexity—which makes possible their famous The new findings suggest we may need to change our strat- biodiversity. For example, we are gaining new insights into egies for conserving and restoring old-growth ecosystems. canopy complexity in old-growth forests.
    [Show full text]
  • Special Forest Products
    United States Department of Agriculture SPECIAL FOREST PRODUCTS Forest Service Species Information Guide Pacific Northwest Research Station for the Pacific Northwest General Technical Report PNW-GTR-513 Nan C. Vance, Melissa Borsting, David Pilz, and September 2001 Jim Freed Authors Nan C. Vance is a principle plant physiologist, and David Pilz is a botanist, For- estry Sciences Laboratory, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR 97331; Melissa Borsting is a graduate student, College of Forest Resources, University of Wash- ington, Box 352100, Seattle, WA 98195; and Jim Freed is an extension special forest products specialist, Washington State University, PO Box 4703, Olympia, WA 98504. Disclaimer This publication reports research and management information involving mush- room and plant harvesting. It neither recommends the use and ingestion of mush- rooms and plants nor implies that using wild plants and mushrooms is without risks. CAUTION: Mushroom and wild plant consumption can pose a serious, even fatal, risk to humans. It is strongly recommended that you spend your first collecting season using field identification guides and collecting with an expert if you intend to collect wild plants or mushrooms to eat. Abstract Vance, Nan C.; Borsting, Melissa; Pilz, David; Freed, Jim. 2001. Special forest products: species information guide for the Pacific Northwest. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-513. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 169 p. This guide is a collection of information about economically important vascular and nonvascular plants and fungi found in the Pacific Northwest that furnish special forest products. Many of these plants and fungi are also found in Alaska, northern Idaho, and western Montana.
    [Show full text]
  • English-Portuguese Equivalents of Forestry and Conservation Terms Termos Equivalentes Em Silvicultura E Conserva@O Portugub-Ingl
    English-Portuguese Equivalents of Forestry and Conservation Terms Forest Service Southern Forest Experiment Station Termos Equivalentes em silvicultura e New Orleans, Louisiana conserva@o Portugub-InglQs General Technical Report so-1 09 September 1994 John K. Francis ENGLISH-PORTUGUESE EQUIVALENTS OF FORESTRY AND CONSERVATTON TERMS John K. Francis FOREWORD cooperative research and technology transfer in the Amazon Basin. This dictionary of forestry Signs of deterioration of the global environ- and conservation terms has been prepared to aid ment and threatened destruction of the vast in communications with our Portuguese-speak- Amazon forest have stirred a call for action. ing colleagues and for the benefit of others fac- Conservationists have always been concerned ing similar language barriers. about the tropical forests; now funds are being made available for increased work on problems Forestry and conservation are very broad in the region. Brazilian scientists struggle to fields, which include many subfields that have communicate with colleagues in the rest of the large and detailed vocabularies. I have attempted world while scientists from other areas are dis- to collect the most common and useful of these covering that to work effectively in Brazil, one terms and determine the equivalencies in English must speak Portuguese. One must also be able and Portuguese. In many cases, several terms to read Portuguese to benefit from the local tech- denote the same concept. They will be listed nical literature. separately, alphabetically in the primary lan- guage (left hand column), and in series in the English-speaking scientists have not pre- secondary language (right hand column) with the pared themselves particularly well in other lan- most common term placed first.
    [Show full text]
  • Profitable Farms and Woodlands a Practical Guide in Agroforestry for Landowners, Farmers and Ranchers
    Profitable Farms and Woodlands A Practical Guide in Agroforestry for Landowners, Farmers and Ranchers Alley Cropping Table of Contents Introduction...................................................................................... iii Forest Farming Forest Purpose .............................................................................................. v Contributors ..................................................................................... vii AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES Riparian Buffer Strips Riparian Buffer Alley Cropping ................................................................................. 1 Forest Farming ................................................................................. 19 Riparian Buffer Strips ...................................................................... 47 Silvopasture ....................................................................................... 57 Silvopasture Windbreaks ....................................................................................... 73 Windbreaks INTRODUCTION This handbook is part of an interdisciplinary, interinstitutional and comprehensive effort to develop a practical guide to assist underserved and limited resource small farmers and woodland owners to adopt best management technologies in agroforestry. Funding for this effort was provided through the USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) from the US Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) under cooperative agreement number 68-7482-7-361 with Tennessee State
    [Show full text]
  • A Vision for Forest Products Extension in Wisconsin
    Wisconsin’s Forest Industry: Rooted in our Lives Rooted in our Economy Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Division, Forest Products Services Wisconsin forest industry overview Industry sectors and trends Emerging markets Part I: Forest Industry Overview Wisconsin’s forest industry ~1,200 establishments Over 60,000 jobs $24.1 billion in goods and services annually Approximately 14% of manufacturing jobs Wisconsin’s forest industry (cont’d) Exports total over $2.2 billion annually Top employer in 10 counties Supports employment of over 111,000 additional jobs Why should we care? . The health of Wisconsin’s economy depends upon the health of Wisconsin’s forest industry . The health of Wisconsin’s forests depends upon the health of Wisconsin’s forest industry Why should we care? . We as consumers depend on forests! Flooring Baseball bats Houses Ice cream thickener Lumber Garden stakes Furniture Toilet paper Pressboard Charcoal Crafts Broom sticks Veneer Bowling pins Roofs Imitation bacon Plywood Toys Stairways Candy wrappers Dowels Signs Cider Fruit Paper Syrup Vitamins Cutting boards Paneling Pallets Cooking utensils Desks Windows Cardboard Pencils Food packaging Doors Grocery bags Shampoo Toilet seats Railroad ties Chewing gum Oars Toothpaste Energy Paper towels Coffee filters Nuts Firewood Oil spill agents Toothpicks Magazines Christmas trees Hockey sticks Diapers Golf tees Tool handles Liquid smoke Sponges Nail polish Animal bedding Cosmetics Mulch Wood pellets Fence posts Baby foods Postage stamps AND MORE! Can
    [Show full text]
  • Medicinal Plant Conservation
    MEDICINAL Medicinal Plant PLANT SPECIALIST GROUP Conservation Silphion Volume 11 Newsletter of the Medicinal Plant Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission Chaired by Danna J. Leaman Chair’s note . 2 Sustainable sourcing of Arnica montana in the International Standard for Sustainable Wild Col- Apuseni Mountains (Romania): A field project lection of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants – Wolfgang Kathe . 27 (ISSC-MAP) – Danna Leaman . 4 Rhodiola rosea L., from wild collection to field production – Bertalan Galambosi . 31 Regional File Conservation data sheet Ginseng – Dagmar Iracambi Medicinal Plants Project in Minas Gerais Lange . 35 (Brazil) and the International Standard for Sus- tainable Wild Collection of Medicinal and Aro- Conferences and Meetings matic Plants (ISSC-MAP) – Eleanor Coming up – Natalie Hofbauer. 38 Gallia & Karen Franz . 6 CITES News – Uwe Schippmann . 38 Conservation aspects of Aconitum species in the Himalayas with special reference to Uttaran- Recent Events chal (India) – Niranjan Chandra Shah . 9 Conservation Assessment and Management Prior- Promoting the cultivation of medicinal plants in itisation (CAMP) for wild medicinal plants of Uttaranchal, India – Ghayur Alam & Petra North-East India – D.K. Ved, G.A. Kinhal, K. van de Kop . 15 Ravikumar, R. Vijaya Sankar & K. Haridasan . 40 Taxon File Notices of Publication . 45 Trade in East African Aloes – Sara Oldfield . 19 Towards a standardization of biological sustain- List of Members. 48 ability: Wildcrafting Rhatany (Krameria lap- pacea) in Peru – Maximilian
    [Show full text]
  • “Catastrophic” Wildfire a New Ecological Paradigm of Forest Health by Chad Hanson, Ph.D
    John Muir Project Technical Report 1 • Winter 2010 • www.johnmuirproject.org The Myth of “Catastrophic” Wildfire A New Ecological Paradigm of Forest Health by Chad Hanson, Ph.D. Contents The Myth of “Catastrophic” Wildfire: A New Ecological Paradigm of Forest Health 1 Preface 1 Executive Summary 4 Myths and Facts 6 Myth/Fact 1: Forest fire and home protection 6 Myth/Fact 2: Ecological effects of high-intensity fire 7 Myth/Fact 3: Forest fire intensity 12 Myth/Fact 4: Forest regeneration after high-intensity fire 13 Myth/Fact 5: Forest fire extent 14 Myth/Fact 6: Climate change and fire activity 17 Myth/Fact 7: Dead trees and forest health 19 Myth/Fact 8: Particulate emissions from high-intensity fire 20 Myth/Fact 9: Forest fire and carbon sequestration 20 Myth/Fact 10: “Thinning” and carbon sequestration 22 Myth/Fact 11: Biomass extraction from forests 23 Summary: For Ecologically “Healthy Forests”, We Need More Fire and Dead Trees, Not Less. 24 References 26 Photo Credits 30 Recommended Citation 30 Contact 30 About the Author 30 The Myth of “Catastrophic” Wildfire A New Ecological Paradigm of Forest Health ii The Myth of “Catastrophic” Wildfire: A New Ecological Paradigm of Forest Health By Chad Hanson, Ph.D. Preface In the summer of 2002, I came across two loggers felling fire-killed trees in the Star fire area of the Eldorado National Forest in the Sierra Nevada. They had to briefly pause their activities in order to let my friends and I pass by on the narrow dirt road, and in the interim we began a conversation.
    [Show full text]
  • Rhodiola Rosea L
    u Ottawa l.'Univcrsilc! cnnnrlicwu- Cnnodn's univcrsiiy FACULTE DES ETUDES SUPERIEURES ls=l FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND ET POSTOCTORALES U Ottawa POSDOCTORAL STUDIES L*University canadiennc Canada's university Vicky J. Filion AUTEUR DETATHISET/ AUTHOR OF THESIS" M_.Sc. (Biology) GRADE/DEGREE Department of Biology TAMTE"TCOLirDpARTEMENT~^ACUITY, S*CHOdi~DEWRTMENT" A Novel Phytochemical and Ecological Study of the Nunavik Medicinal Plant Rhodiola rosea L. TITRE DE LA THESE / TITLE OF THESIS _____„„____Dr._ J. Arnason A. Cuerrier EXAMINATEURS (EXAMINATRICES) DE LA THESE / THESIS EXAMINERS Dr. C. Charest Dr. J. Kerr Dr. N. Cappuccino _Garjr\V^SJatCT_ Le Doyen de la Faculte des etudes superieures et postdoctorales I Dean of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies A Novel Phytochemical and Ecological Study of the Nunavik Medicinal Plant Rhodiola rosea L. Vicky J. Filion Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies University of Ottawa in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the M.Sc. degree in the Ottawa-Carleton Institute of Biology These soumise a la Faculte des etudes superieures et postdoctorales Universite d'Ottawa en vue de l'obtention de la maitrise es sciences Institut de biologie d'Ottawa-Carleton © Vicky J. Filion, Ottawa, Canada, 2008 Library and Bibliotheque et 1*1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-50879-4
    [Show full text]
  • Forest Ecosystem Services: Cultural Values
    Trees At Work: Economic Accounting for Forest Ecosystem Services in the U.S. South 11 Chapter 2 Forest Ecosystem Services: Cultural Values Melissa M. Kreye, Damian C. Adams, Ramesh Ghimire, Wayde Morse, Taylor Stein, J.M. Bowker WHAT ARE CULTURAL SERVICES? associated ecosystem and human components. However, our understanding of the many factors that give rise to cultural ow we define “culture” and societal well-being related ecosystem services is still a matter of ongoing investigation. to culture depends heavily on who is looking at it, but culture can be generally described as “the customs and H There is good reason for investigating the cultural ecosystem beliefs of a particular group of people that are used to express service values associated with forests: they are critical to our their collectively held values” (Soulbury Commission 2012). understanding of the value of forest land and the benefits of In the context of forests, culturally derived norms, beliefs, forest conservation. The U.S. South is expected to lose 30-43 and values help drive preferences for forested landscapes and million forest acres to urbanization between 1997 and 2060 forest-based benefits such as diversity and identity, justice, (Wear and Greis 2002), and structural changes in southeastern education, freedom, and spirituality (Farber and others 2002, ecosystems are expected to impact the provision of a wide Fisher and others 2009, Kellert 1996). Environmental policies range of cultural ecosystem service benefits (Bowker and others and responsible forest management can enhance how forests 2013). Concurrently, social trends also suggest that youth are help give rise to and support cultural ecosystem service values.
    [Show full text]