Slide1: ROLE OF NON WOOD FOREST PRODUCTS IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL PEOPLE


Slide2: Outline of the Presentation Definition Users of non wood forest products Importance of non wood forest products Economically important NWFPs Classification of NWFPs Economic evaluation of someimportant NWFPs Opportunities for improved management Progress made by FRDD on NWFPs Recommendations


Slide3: What are Non Wood Forest Products ? Non Wood Forest Product includes resin, varnish, katha, kutch, flower, seed, bamboo, bulb, root, fruits, leaves, barks, grass, creeper, reed, orchid, cane, fungus, moss, medicinal plant, herb, leaf-mould, or other vegetative growth, whether alive or dead, wild animal (including fish) and parts or products of wild animal, including the skin, hide, feather, fur, horn, antler, tusk, bone, bile, musk, honey, wax, and lac, insect and boulder, stone, sand, gravel, rock, peat and soil. - Forest and Nature Conservation Rules of Bhutan


Slide4: Non Wood Forest Products consists of goods of biological origin other than wood, derived from forests, other wooded land and trees outside forests (FAO, 1999) What are Non Wood Forest Products ? …(contd)


Slide5: Who uses non wood forest products ? It is observed that NWFPs are important to three main groups: rural populations (the largest group) who have traditionally used these items for livelihood and social and cultural purposes urban consumers (a smaller group, but growing faster), who purchase these items; traders and product processors, whose numbers in the NWFP sector increase as urban markets for these products grow.


Slide6: Importance of Non Wood Forest Products Source of food, and nutrition Household subsistence Fodder and grazing Cultural values Source of arts and craft e.g. (i) paper making, (ii) wood, slate & stone carving, (iii) wood turning, (iv) wood work, (v) material for weaving, and (vi) cane & bamboo works etc. Medicinal uses Trade Generates revenue at local and national level (by local sale and export of products)


Slide7: Economically Important Non Wood Forest Products of Bhutan


Slide8: Bamboos and Canes Fruits if Illicium sp. Fruits/spikes of Piper sp. Roots/entire plants of Rubia cordifolia Entire plant of Cordyceps sinensis Wild edible mushroom e.g. Tricholoma matsutake Bark of Daphne and Edgeworthia spp. Young shoots of Asparagus sp. Wild vegetable plants e.g. Diplazium sp. ; Elatostema sp. Entire plants of Swertia chirata Canes Important NWFPs


Slide9: Roots of Neopicorrhiza kurooa Fruits of Emblica officinalis Roots of Acorus calamus Roots of Aconitum sp. Leaves/twigs of Rhododendron setosum and R. anthopogun Tubers of Dioscorea sp. Leaves and barks of Taxus baccata Bark and roots of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Lemon grass


Slide10: Classification of Non Wood Forest Products


Classification of NWFPs according to their end uses: Classification of NWFPs according to their end uses


Slide12: Classification of NWFPs according to their end uses…contd


Slide13: Economic Evaluation of Some important Non Wood Forest Products Past export value of some important NWFPs


Slide14: Export of forest products Besides the use of NWFPs by the local people, NWFPs are utilized for commercial purposes (e.g. paper making, handicraft items, extraction of edible oil and manufacturing of incense sticks. Further substantial amount is also earned by export of NWFPs. Even though the share of export revenue, (compare to wood products) is relatively low, but in absolute terms, the revenue earned at the national level is substantial.


Slide15: The fruit is star shaped Used as spice in South-East Asian cooking. It has carminative, stimulant and diuretic properties Star Anise (Illicium anisatum)


Slide16: When the individual farmers sold the products in the open market, the price obtained was better. Price offered by middlemen was lower. Possibility of domestication


Slide17: Cordyceps sinensis Cordyceps is a mushroom growing from the head of a dead caterpillar. Local people believe that it takes the form of ‘plant’ during summer and an ‘insect’ during winter RGOB lifted the total protected status of cordyceps in 2004 Still there is concern about issues of sustainability because of intense commercialization Cordyceps is a highly priced products. The picking season normally starts from mid May to mid July During 2004, 200 kgs was marketed. Floor prrice fixed by DoF was Nu 37,000/Kg whereas the market value would be Nu 80,000 per kg. (FMIS/DoF).


Slide18: Possibility of domestication


Slide19: Bamboo Bamboos are tall, perennial, arborescent grasses. Bamboos cane be used for variety of purpose ranging from housing posts to fountain pens. The common uses of bamboo being roofing, rafters, walling, flooring, matting, tents poles, furniture, water pipes, cart shaft, basket making, musical instruments, bow and arrows. It is also a very important raw material for paper industries. Rhizome used for making phop and ladle. Plantation in large need to be done. FDCL will be encouraged to take up this activity.


Slide20: Mushrooms Different species of edible mushrooms are available in the country. The most common ones are (FAO 2002): Auricularia auricula (jilli namcho) Calvaria spp. (jichu kangroo) Clitocybe odora (ga shamu) (protein content very high). Cantherellus cibarius (saysae shamu) Polyporus spp. (Taa shamu) (red colour, grows on fir trees) Tricoloma matsutake (sangay shamu) Lentinus edodes (Shiitake) cultivated mushroom


Slide21: Tricholoma matsutake Matsutake mushroom is found growing in pine and oak forest It was not traditionally valued or commonly known Today the mushroom is exported to Japan and other countries. It has brought good fortune to the local people


Slide22: Role of the Department of Forests To develop strategy for long term NWFPs resources management (as indicated in the 9 FYP document) DoF Program on NWFPs includes the followings: Conduct national NWFPs Survey and document produced Develop national strategies for sustainable management of NWFPs Piloting of locally adapted NWFPs regimes Marketing and enterprise development Opportunities for improved management


Slide23: Improving resource productivity Selective weeding around valued species Enrichment planting of these species in the forest Improving harvesting methods Harvesting broadly including harvest planning, pre-harvest, and post harvest treatment Resource inventory –knowledge of the resource is important Multiple use management for wood and non wood harvest Opportunities to be explored to combine timber management with NWFPs Other suggested activities for sustainable mangement


Slide24: Multiple and diversified use and management can ease economic pressure for both wood and non wood resources In planning, resource managers should analyze the inventory information to determine complementary harvest strategies and uncover potential conflicts between wood and NWFPs harvest Community-led initiatives Involvement of local communities in resource management


Slide25: Current Progress on NWFP Program Qualitative survey of NWFPs in 11 Dzongkhags (Central, Western and Southern Bhutan) 20 important NWFPs of Bhutan documented General management guidelines for priority species prepared, e.g. Bamboo, Star anise, piper etc.) Conducted survey on canes under Chukha Dzongkhag and report produced


Slide26: Recommendations (Future action) Resource assessment to be carried out for important NWFPs and prescribe sustainable allowable harvest for each species. Topics for research would be identified by DoF and would be put in the annual research Meeting for joint endorsement (DoF + CORRB). Implementation of the research would be done thereafter. Research on NWFPs to be carried out by RNR-RCs and the result of the research should be packaged and the implementation to be done by DoF. Develop inventory methodology (biometrics) for high value NWFPs Develop management guidelines for priority NWFPs in the country focusing on sustainable management Conduct training for farmers in identifying important NWFPs and their conservation and management techniques. Domestication of some important & valuable species (agar, Star anise, pipla, and large scale plantation of bamboo.


Slide27: Thank you for your attention