Non-timber forest products in Minnesota

Dave Wilsey, PhDAssistant Extension Professor and EducatorExtension Center for Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resource Sciences

Non Timber Forest Products

What is (or isn’t) a NTFP? Click icon to add picture

What is (or isn’t) a NTFP? Click icon to add picture

What is (or isn’t) a NTFP? Click icon to add picture

What is (or isn’t) a NTFP?

Where are NTFPs found?Click icon to add picture

Where are NTFPs found?Click icon to add picture

Where are NTFPs found?Click icon to add picture

From forest…

…to field

And beyond???

Why are we interested in NTFPs?

Or: What makes NTFPs interesting?

Minnesota Lives…

Minnesota Lives…

Minnesota Livelihoods…

Today’s Roadmap1. Developing Awareness of Resources

2. Utilization of Resources

3. Management of Resources

Quick poll…

Developing Awareness(What’s really out there?)

(And where exactly is it?)

D.I.Y! Aw

are

ness

Seasonal Calendars

Activity or Phenology Journal

Rainy Lake, May 2007, Unknown berries

Photo-journaling

Books & field guidesHow to do… How to find…

Aw

are

ness

Peer and professional networks

Friends & Neighbors Find a Forester

Aw

are

ness

http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/minnesota-stewardship-plan-preparers/

Local markets and institutions

Farmers’ Markets

Goods from the Woods Aw

are

ness

Informal markets

(Some of) Minnesota NTFPs

Maple syrup

Acer spp.Acer species

• 2008 US production: 1.9 mil gallons valued at$77.5 million

• 14 US states produce; MN is not in top 5

• 2008 Canadian production valued at $209 million

Balsam boughs and wreathsAbies balsamea

•$20 million industry in MN

•Estimated 4300 ton annual harvest

•Thousands of seasonal employees

Source: “Estimation and Monitoring of balsam fir boughs in MN,”M. Hansen et al,Date unknown

Photo: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Manoomin(Wild rice)Zizania palustris

•Minnesota native food crop

• An annual aquatic grass

•Harvest requires permit, if non-Native

•Related products include birch bark winnowing baskets, cedar knockers, and balsam push poles

Photos: dwilsey, esagor (upper right)

Birch barkBetula papyrifera

• Traditional forest product with rich, multicultural tradition

•Non-destructive (properly harvested)

• Linked to harvest and processing of wild rice (Ojibwe)

Deer

Odocoileus virginianus In 2009: 586,000 licenses

sold; 194,000 animals taken

Recreational

Important food source

Countless others…

Utilization

“[NTFPs] are about getting outdoors, about being with your family.”

“Balsam and trapping pay the bills; hunting gets the meat.”

– Comments from Minnesota NTFP harvesters

Enjoying what is there• Trails and hiking

• Wildlife observation

• Wildflowers

• Wildlife

• Etc.

Utiliza

tion

Photos: esagor, dwilsey (lower left)

Consumption• Materials

• Foods

Utiliza

tion

Gifting & Exchange Utiliza

tion

Commercial uses• Commercial ventures• Hobby enterprise• Seasonal income• Extra cash

Utiliza

tion

Tapping rubber trees in Mexico, dwilsey

Evergreen wreaths, jmiedtke

Maple sap lines to pump house, dwilsey

Quick poll…

Management

Image: www.cinram.umn.edu

Sustainable harvesting practices• Harvest technique

- Tools, transport, etc.

• Harvest intensify

- Timing of harvest

- Frequency

Man

ag

em

en

t

Images: carefulharvest, S.Thayer (calendar)

Examples:

• Thinning

• Burning

• Pruning

• Fallow/rest periods

• Etc.

Man

ag

em

en

t

Images: forestsavers.com

Image: plantamnesty.org

Promotion via “best practices”

Enhancement

Taking action to ensure that existing natural resource (NTFP) populations are sustained or increase

Man

ag

em

en

t

Image:www.woolwich.ca

Establishment & Conversion

• Tree planting

• Understory planting

• Agroforestry applications

- Silvi-pasture

- Windbreaks and hedgerows

- Riparian buffers

• Etc.

Silvi-pasture

Man

ag

em

en

t

WindbreaksImages: www.cinram.umn.edu

NTFP Enterprises & Markets

NTFP Enterprises En

terp

rises &

Marke

ting

Most NTFP enterprises are: Small – having few

employees Low visibility Easily displaced

BUT, May be easier to start Relatively lower risk

Images: IFCAE (L), dwilsey(R)

NTFP MarketsEn

terp

rises &

Marke

ting

Scope+ locations

Structure

Formality

Scale

Time- seasonality

- trends

Some additional resources…Online

MyMinnesotaWoods.com

Center for Integrated Natural Resource and Agricultural Management, (CINRAM.umn.edu)

TrueNorthWoods.com

Institute for Culture and Ecology, (IFCAE.org)

The Overstory, (Agroforestry.net)

Non-Wood News, (http://www.fao.org/forestry/nwfp/en)

Print Non Timber Forest Products

in the United States – E. Jones et al. 2002

Tapping the Green Market: Certification and Management of Non-Timber Forest Products – P. Shanley et al. 2002

Goods from the Woods: Developing your Non-Timber Forest Product Business – T. Brigham 1998

“If American agroforesters extend their attention to micro-growers, such as backyard and community gardeners, other urban agriculturists, hobby farmers, and small acreage owners, they could both derive valuable know-how from these new collaborations and promote agroforestry concepts to the groups previously not associated with agroforestry.”

-Sharashkin et al 2005

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University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer

This material is available in alternative formats upon request.  Direct requests to 218-726-6464

Thank you!

Dave Wilseydwilsey@umn.edu

myminnesotawoods.umn.edu