Volume 50, January 2016, Pages 390–398
Highlights
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- Physical and monetary valuation of non-timber forest products (NTFP) in the Czech Republic based on the 20 year research on NTFP.
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- Contribution to development of a more comprehensive concept of forestry land use (multiple-use forestry).
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- Contribution to formation of forest policy.
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- Strengthening of the public consciousness about the economic and social importance of NTFP.
Abstract
Non-timber
forest products (NTFP), mainly edible mushrooms, forest berries, and
medicinal plants, are of socio-economic importance in the Czech Republic
(CR). They can be picked freely by forest visitors for their own use,
irrespective of forest ownership. There is a century long tradition of
foraging for wild food in the Czech forests and this article presents an
analysis of the trends in the apparent socio-economic importance of the
collection and use of NTFP for the inhabitants in the CR over the last
20 years.
Data concerning the collection and use of
NTFP in the CR have been systematically analysed every year since 1994
and, thus, a unique time series, even on the European level, has been
obtained. The results of the analyses demonstrate that NTFP collection
is an important activity for the inhabitants of the CR. Investigations
based on questionnaire surveys in representative samples of CR citizens
(quota selection) show that about 3/4 of the households report
collecting NTFP. On average, 10.6 kg of principal NTFP (mushrooms and
berries) were picked by every household annually in 1994–2013, which
amounts to 39.1 mil kg (almost 4 kg/capita), and 3100 mil. Czech Crowns
(CZK), in the total CR. This value corresponds to 1/6 of the timber
harvest value in an average year. Nevertheless, (in recent years) the
share is even higher, exceeding 20% of the timber harvest value. A
comparatively small part of the population collect NTFP to save money
and an even lower share sell NTFP. The data obtained in these studies
aims to improve the quality of the state forestry policy focused on the
optimum use of NTFP, to enhance the income from forests, to support NTFP
commercial production and to raise the level of forest conservation.
Keywords
- Non-timber forest products;
- Socio-economic importance;
- Trends;
- Czech Republic
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