Utilization of non-timber forest products in humid tropics: Implications for management and livelihood

Community dependence on forest resources for diverse needs has high implications for long term management of forests. Sustainable extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) is considered best feasible strategy for forest conservation in biodiversity rich areas. This paper examines the heterogeneity of NTFPs use by tribal communities in northeast India, a global hot spot by examining diversity of NTFPs at-large, its consumption pattern, and contribution to rural income and forest revenue. A total of 343 NTFPs recorded used for diverse purposes by tribal communities. When species choice grouped as per use category, utilization for medicinal (163 species), edible fruits (75 species) and vegetables (65 species) purposes was reasonably high. Community dependence on forest resources was 100% for firewood and house construction material. 76 plant species were sold in three major local markets while an additional 22 species traded at commercial scale mainly outside the state. NTFPs contributed 19-32% of total household income for different tribal communities, which was significant. Illicium griffithii, Rubia cordifolia, Oroxylum indicum, Swertia chirayita, Litsea sebifera, Taxus wallichiana, Valeriana jatamansii, Thalictrum foliolosum, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Everniastrum cirrhatum, Cordyceps sinensis, Aconitum fletcherianum, Nardostachys jatamansi, Picrorhiza kurrooa, Gymnadenia orchidis, Calamus, Quercus and Pinus roxbughii were important commercial species. NTFPs also generated substantial revenue to the State government, though it is falling year after year, which is alarming. To meet community livelihoods, income and forest revenue from NTFPs, it desires a thorough management plan and policy guidelines for these resources from all line departments. The knowledge on diversity, its consumption pattern, and contribution to rural income and forest revenue may enable planners to accurately plan sustainable management of NTFP resources and community development in near future.     

Commercialisation of mopane worm (Imbrasia belina) in rural households in Limpopo Province,South Africa

Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) have been identified as a key source of income for rural households. In South Africa, mopane worms (Imbrasia belina) have become an important source of food and cash income for rural people living in or near the mopane woodlands. However, the continued over-exploitation and commercialisation has implications for long term management of the mopane woodlands in the northern parts of South Africa. This study used a cross-sectional dataset collected from a survey of 120 households in Limpopo province in an effort to identify socio-economic factors influencing mopane worm commercialisation and intensity of commercialisation. The Household Commercialisation Index (HCI) and the Double Hurdle Model were used for the analysis. Result shows that about 63% of mopane worm harvested is sold within a production year which implies high level of commercialisation. The result of the Double Hurdle Model showed that gender, education, household size, quantity harvested, social capital, distance, transportation and information impact on households’ decision-making to commercialised mopane worm. Furthermore, household age, gender, education, exogenous income, price, quantity of marketable surplus, absence of institution/law and transportation are statistically significant factors influencing the intensity of mopane worm commercialisation in the study area. This therefore suggests that, in order to achieve a balance between sustainable harvesting of mopane worm and improving the livelihoods of the rural poor that depends on it for food and income, there is a need for policy makers to focus on the dynamics in household socio-economic conditions. Implications for policy were discussed.     

NTFPs and Their Commercialization Issues from the Perspective of Rural Livelihood and the State of Forest Resources: A Study of the Ranibundh Forest Range in West Bengal,India

Forests provide a source of livelihood to all classes of rural people, especially in tribal dominated areas. With the advent of joint forest management concepts and commercial earning prospects from non-timber forest products (NTFPs), it was expected that forests would be best preserved by the villagers who depend on them for a substantial part of their livelihoods. However, in the case of the Ranibundh block in the Bankura district, it was observed that the predominance of private agencies in marketing channels of NTFPs, together with risk of eviction, loss of customary right to access forest resources, low employment prospects, and lack of training about proper management of NTFPs have led to the failure in motivating the forest dwellers to prevent degradation of forest resources. It is suggested that government agencies, producer institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other strong institutional entities can promote forest preservation when complemented by the granting of forest rights to rural people, the extension of training facilities, and alternative employment prospects.     

Species-specific biomass allometric models and expansion factors for indigenous and planted forests of the Mozambique highlands

Secondary Miombo woodlands and forest plantations occupy increasing areas in Mozambique, the former due to anthropogenic activities. Plantations, mainly species of Eucalyptus and Pinus, are being established on sites previously covered by secondary Miombo woodlands. This affects the evolution, cycle and spatiotemporal patterns of carbon(C) storage and stocks in forest ecosystems. The estimation of C storage, which is indispensable for formulating climate change policies on sequestrating CO_2, requires tools such as biomass models and biomass conversion and expansion factors(BCEF). In Mozambique, these tools are needed for both indigenous forests and plantations. The objective of this study is to fit species-specific allometric biomass models and BCEF for exotic and indigenous tree species. To incorporate efficient inter-species variability, biomass equations were fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects models. All tree component biomass models had good predictability; however, better predictive accuracy and ability was observed for the 2-predictors biomass model with tree height as a second predictor. The majority of the variability in BCEF was explained by the variation in tree species. Miombo species had larger crown biomass per unit of stem diameter and stored larger amounts of biomass per stem volume. However, due to relatively rapid growth, larger stem diameters, heights, and stand density, the plantations stored more biomass per tree and per unit area.     

Determinants of engagement in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) business activities: A study on worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains,northeastern China

This study used data of 128 worker households that possessed woodland resources and owned by seven forestry bureaus (counties) belonging to the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains to analyze the behavioral characteristics of worker households that engaged in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) business activities. A logistic regression model was utilized to analyze factors that influenced worker households to engage in NTFPs business activities. The study found the following: NTFPs collection activities had become the primary NTFPs business activity engaged in by the worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains because of the relatively small investment needed as well as fewer production and operating risks. The engagement of worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains in NTFPs business activities was still in a preliminary stage. Whether or not worker households engaged in NTFPs business activities was not affected by household head or household manpower characteristics; rather, worker households were more willing to engage in NTFPs business activities when the households had bank deposits, homes were close to the woodlands, the woodlands had good quality soil, and the households received social services.     

Use of Landsat multi-temporal imagery to assess secondary growth Miombo woodlands in Luanshya,Zambia

Miombo woodlands are the most extensive natural forest type in subtropical Africa, supporting the livelihood of over 100 million urban and rural settlers. These forests continue to experience extensive deforestation and land degradation due to land use land cover (LULC) changes. The aim of this study is to use remotely sensed images from the Landsat archive to provide the baseline for the spatial extent of Miombo woodlands in Luanshya district of the Copperbelt Province, Zambia. It also assesses the implications of spatial-temporal changes for the conservation of these woodlands. A hybrid classification method involving ISODATA and Support Vector Machine classifiers was used to generate LULC maps for 1986, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2011 and 2016, with an overall accuracy of 82.0%–99.6% and kappa coefficient of 0.80–0.99. Unlike previous studies that have mainly focused on comparison between two or three time periods, a longitudinal analysis over the 20-year periods of this study shows that there are complex net and gross changes in different LULC types over different scales. Landscape change metrics indicate that woodlands have been declining in extent, but are partly offset by regeneration. Rates of deforestation (regeneration) for the periods 1986–1998, 1998–2001, 2001–2004, 2004–2011 and 2011–2016 are 10% (1%), 38% (30%), 15% (7%), 11% (8%) and 9% (2%) per annum, respectively. These results suggest that over 68% of Miombo woodlands present in 2016 are second-growth forests. Restoration strategies such as assisted natural regeneration are necessary in order to accelerate the recovery of natural forests. Targeting under-used and degraded land for assisted natural regeneration and empowering local communities in sustainable environmental stewardship are crucial in remediating against continued forest degradation.     

Ecological, socio-cultural, economic and political factors influencing the contribution of non-timber forest products to local livelihoods: Case studies from honduras and the Philippines

Discussion of the role of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in efforts to reconcile the objectives of forest conservation and rural development has often been hampered by limited understanding of the complexity of the factors that affect the contribution of NTFPs to local livelihoods. By drawing upon two case studies where NTFPs play an important role - the municipality of Lepaterique in Honduras and Palawan Island in the Philippines - this study emphasizes that an ideal extractive system should be based on a mix of products to enable sustainable harvesting throughout the year. The study also demonstrates that considerable attention needs to be paid to the socio-cultural heterogeneity of resource users, and to the value chain structure, access and control over resources and political transparency that affect the opportunities for local people to benefit from NTFP extraction.     

A review on the use of non-timber forest products in beauty-care in Bangladesh

This review describes the non-timber forest products （NTFPs） used for different aspects of beauty-care in Bangladesh on the basis of extensive literature survey. The diverse plant species, including used parts and using patterns for hair care, facial treatments and body care, were summarized in 13 tables. This paper accumulate the scattered knowledge regarding the use of plants in beauty-care in Bangladesh, to draw the extent of use of NTFPs in health care and to record the knowledge for assessing the possibilities of further implementation in herbal cosmetics industries. The structured knowledge can be used in policy making process for sustainable management of these valuable NTFPs leading to the conservation of the country＇s biological diversity. It is suggested that intensive field level research is necessary for securing sustainability of NTFPs.     

Use of forest resources,traditional forest-related knowledge and livelihood of forest dependent communities: Cases in South Korea

The patterns of forest resource use in South Korea have been overviewed along with the forest resource availability to the forest users and in relation to the socio-economic conditions of local people. In South Korea, forest income arises more from non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and forest ecosystems services than from timber. The relationship between availability of forest resources and income of residents in mountainous villages was addressed with statistical analysis of results of household surveys conducted in Gangwon-do Province. The result indicates that the mere existence of forest resources and related cultural heritages is not enough for local communities to obtain income from forest land. Proper arrangements for local communities in accessing the forest resources and knowledge of making use of the resources is required to make the relationship constructive for people's livelihood. Joint management agreement between forest communities and the forest owner serves both parties for sustainable forest management in Korea as seen in the case of maple sap collection within Seoul National University Forests. The traditional knowledge held by local residents is of value for income generation for forest dependent communities and is considered as an integral part of sustainable forest management as seen in the case of native honey bee keeping near protected forest areas managed by the national forest authority. However, traditional cultural values may be positive or negative for ecologically sound forest management as seen in the pest management policy of the Korean government formulated based on cultural value rather than considerations of ecosystem health.     

The power of knowledge: information transfer and açaí intensification in the peri-urban interface of Belém,Brazil

Academic scholarship and development paradigms promote non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as potential options to link environmental conservation with sustainable economic development objectives for rural communities worldwide. The açaí berry (Euterpe oleracea) is a native palm found in forest ecosystems of northern Brazil and historically extracted and sold in regional markets. Recent increases in national and international açaí demand have resulted in dramatic price increases. Management decisions on a local producer level reflect trends not typically associated with traditional NTFPs as future production and income expectations increase. This case study draws on research conducted in peri-urban communities in close proximity to Belém, Brazil. The work draws links between recent açaí intensification trends in upland areas and information pathways that are contributing to this pattern. This paper argues that external information sources regarding land use choices are prioritized over local knowledge and market indicators which previously have been described as drivers for intensification processes of NTFPs. This qualitative analysis highlights the power structures that influence information sharing and in turn, land use choices on a community level. The results of this analysis are important for NTFP intervention initiatives focused on risk management for smallholders. Finally, this study is a useful complement for ecological studies currently being conducted on intensification processes of non-timber forest products.     

Population distribution and threats to sustainable management of selected non-timber forest products in tropical lowland rainforests of south western Nigeria

Uncontrolled harvesting of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) poses a serious risk of extermination to several of these species in Nigeria. Yet, there is a paucity of information on the distribution, population status and sustainable management of NTFPs in most of the tropical lowland rainforests. We, therefore, assessed the population, distribution and threats to sustainable management of NTFPs within the tropical lowland rainforests of Omo and Shasha Forest Reserves, south western Nigeria. Data were obtained through inventory surveys on five top priority species including: bush mango (Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte ex O’Rorke) Baill), African walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum (Mull. Arg.) Hutch. & Dalziel syn. Plukenetia conophora), chew-stick (Massularia acuminata (G. Don) Bullock), fever bark (Annickia chlorantha Setten & P.J.Maas syn. Enantia chloranta) and bush pepper (Piper guineense Schumach. & Thonn.). Purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were used for the inventory. Each forest reserve was stratified into three, viz: less disturbed natural forest (for areas that have been rested for at least ten years), recently disturbed natural forest (for areas that have suffered one form of human perturba- tion or the other in the last five years), and plantation forest (for areas carrying forest plantation). Data were collected from eighteen 10m×500m belt transects located in the above strata. The species were gener- ally fewer in both plantation and recently disturbed natural forest than the less disturbed natural forest, suggesting that forest disturbances (habitat modification) for other uses may have an effect on the occurrence and densities of the NTFPs. Exceptions to this trend were found for P. guineense and T. conophorum, which were fairly common in both planta-tion and recently disturbed natural forest. Among three tree NTFP species (i.e. I. gabonensis, M. acuminata and A. chlorantha), only I. gabonensis showed a significant difference in overall DBH size classes for both reserves (t=-2.404; df =21; p=0.026). Three tree NTFP species in both reserves further showed differences from the regular patterns of distribution of trees. The fairly regular reverse J-shaped size class distribution observed for M. acuminata in the study sites, however, suggests a recuperating population. In general, destructive harvesting of species, logging operations, low population size, narrow distribution ranges and habitat degradation are the major threats to the population of NTFPs in the study area. The implications of our findings for sustainable management of NTFPs in the study area are discussed and recommendations are made for a feasible approach towards enhancing the status of the species.     

The Non-Timber Forest Products Sector in Nepal: Emerging Policy Issues in Plant Conservation and Utilization for Sustainable Development

The non-timber forest products (NTFPs) sector in Nepal is being promoted with the concept of sustainable development as articulated by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Traditionally, people have been dependent on NTFPs for subsistence; however, international trade is growing. To promote this sector, Nepal adopted the 2004 Herbs and NTFP Development Policy. Our goal is to assess the effectiveness of the policy along with the other forestry and natural resource policies in Nepal concerning the conservation and use of NTFPs. We conducted open-ended semi-structured interviews with 28 key informants in summer 2006 in Nepal and collected relevant documents and publications. Qualitative analyses of data yielded important issues that should be addressed to promote the sector as envisioned by the Government. The most important is the need for inventory and research on NTFP species in widespread use. There are some issues regarding species banned under various other National Acts; the lack of marketing information and capacity building; administrative barriers; royalty rates; and illegal harvesting. The most important immediate need is the development of an NTFP Strategy and Action Plan. Our findings should help further implement the policy and promote the sector along the stated mission of conservation and sustainable development.     

Impact of land use on woody aboveground biomass in Miombo woodlands of western Zambia – comparison of three allometric equations

Globally, the intensification of land use for agriculture, timber and fuel is considered the leading threat to the diversity and biomass of forests and woodlands. To suggest management options, it is important to understand the patterns and drivers of diversity, structure, biomass and carbon stock of woodland vegetation. In this study we used data from three sites in the Miombo woodlands of western Zambia, which are subject to low, medium and high land-use intensity. We sampled 20 plots of 1 000 m² at each of these sites. Woody vegetation was sampled for richness and structure to provide an understanding of the impact of land-use intensity. Woody plant species richness was not affected by land-use intensity. However, an ANOVA revealed that stem diameter at breast height (DBH) was higher at the low land-use intensity (national park) than at medium and high land-use intensities (selective timber harvest, and non-selective harvest for crop fields and timber). We tested three different allometric equations (one global and two regionally adapted) to determine woody aboveground biomass (AGB) and carbon stock at the three sites. The estimated AGB using the regionally adapted allometric equation of Ryan et al. and the global tropical equation of Brown et al. revealed that the AGB for low and high land-use intensity sites were significantly different from each other with the medium land-use intensity site being intermediate. We concluded that DBH and AGB estimations were influenced by the land-use intensity in the Miombo woodlands as suggested by other studies in the tropical forest and woodlands.     

Community Forest Management in Thailand: Current Situation and Dynamics in the Context of Sustainable Development

Community forest management (CFM) has received increasing worldwide attention from governments, researchers and educational institutions over the past two decades. Many governments, especially in developing countries, have prioritized CFM over traditional forest management systems. In Thailand, CFM is not recognized by the legal system; however, there are de facto CFM practices under common property resource regimes. CFM has in essence been practiced here for hundreds of years by local people, and represents an important aspect of Thai culture. This study aims at evaluating CFM in Thailand in the context of sustainable development. To meet the objective, the study gathered information through focus group discussions with various stakeholders: academics, Forest Department staff, and members of the Chang Tok Tay community forests. From the study, it emerged that forest resources are critical for the livelihoods and survival of rural people, and so they have protected forests to ensure sustainable livelihoods. This study identified that prospects for sustainable CFM in Thailand are bright because: (i) community members are highly motivated and are sufficiently interested to protect trees because they are well aware that their livelihoods are under threat from depleting forests; (ii) tradition and culture of rural people support their relation with nature; (iii) non-timber forest products (NTFPs) play a crucial role in local livelihoods for subsistence and necessitate protection of the forest watershed, which is vital to support their occupations; (iv) spiritual rituals such as those where Buddhist monks bind yellow cloth on trees play a vital role in protecting trees, something rare in other countries. The study further identified various hindrances to achieve sustainable CFM: (i) legal support for CFM is absent; (ii) the Royal Forest Department (RFD) cannot transfer appropriate technology to community people due to lack of legal support; (iii) scope for developing effective strategies for sustainable CFM by combining traditional knowledge with existing scientific knowledge is limited; (iv) a formal institutional arrangement for CFM does not exist; and (v) community members’ access to the hard technology of CFM is limited. Therefore, in addition to legalizing CFM, a formal institutional framework for elaboration, implementation and control of CFM is essential to achieve sustainable CFM in Thailand.     

The role of nontimber tree products in household food procurement strategies: profile of a Sri Lankan village

Reliance on nontimber forest products from homegardens and forests in a Sri Lankan village is presented. Land and tree tenure in this village adjacent to the Sinharaja Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Reserve have shifted dramatically because of changing priorities in forest management recently shifting from utilization toward complete forest protection. Local residents must adapt to a new set of social circumstances. Household demographics, access to land, and income from nontimber forest products (NTFPs) and external employment are examined as pertinent to household food acquisition. Linear correlations show significant associations between income generated from the sale of agricultural produce and nontimber forest products and the amount of money allocated to food purchases. Fifty-five edible plant species were found in homegardens. Four forest tree species provide food regularly. Case studies are essential in increasing the natural resource manager's awareness about the role of agroforestry in protected areas management and his or her understnading of promoting protection without compromising subsistence needs.     

Publics* and woodlands in England: well-being, local identity, social learning, conflict and management

People's values and ways of viewing and interpreting the worldaround them provide the framework in which they assess and describetheir use of woodlands and debate and understand wider environmentalissues. Publics' values for woodlands and trees are a key elementof sustainable forest management, as values underlie people'sactions and behaviour and, without a greater understanding andawareness of this, organizations will often continue to experienceconflict over management. The research described in this paperfocuses on the social and cultural values of woodlands and treesin both urban and rural areas in the north-west and south-eastof England. Using a qualitative methodology, in-depth discussiongroups were held with a range of respondents from differentsocio-economic backgrounds to discuss people's relationshipsand interactions with woodlands. The analysis of the discussiongroup data highlights a number of major themes. These themesinclude publics' feelings of well-being gained from using andviewing woodlands, conflict and confusion over what is viewedas anti-social behaviour and issues concerned with who ownsland. The themes also highlight the importance of educationand learning about the environment, people's sense of personaland community identity in relation to woodlands as well as issuesof management for conservation, economic and public benefit.The research helps to describe and explain the ways in whichwoodlands and trees are perceived and used within contemporarysociety. Implications for future policy development are explored,emphasizing the need for effective public participation, theimportance of addressing people's safety worries, the significanceof education in a multi-sensory environment and the importanceand meaning of place.     

Demand for non-timber forest products: Surveys of urban consumers and sellers in Switzerland

In recent years, worldwide socioeconomic, ecological, and cultural changes have led to a paradigm shift in forestry and forest management. Some years ago, most forest enterprises exclusively focused on wood production, whereas today, forest management is expected to be multifunctional and economically as well as socially and ecologically sustainable [Harrison, S., Herbohn, J., Niskanen, A., 2002. Non-industrial, smallholder, small-scale and family forestry: what's in a name? Small-scale Forest Economics. Management and Policy 1 (1), 1–11; Schmithuesen, F., 2004. Forest policy developments in changing societies — political trends and challenges to research. Towards the sustainable use of Europe's forests: Forest ecosystems and landscape research: Joensuu: European Forest Institute, Proc., vol. 49, pp. 87–99]. In this context, non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as forest honey, mushrooms, or berries could gain importance as an additional source of income for the forestry sector. To assess the market potential of NTFPs in Switzerland, two corresponding surveys were conducted. A consumer survey (N = 897) conducted in six cities in Switzerland investigated the purchase of Swiss NTFPs, consumer preferences, and demand potentials. An additional survey of sellers of NTFPs (N = 105) looked at these aspects from a complementary perspective. The results showed that there is a high esteem and considerable demand potential for such products among urban consumers. Food products were mentioned most frequently. Both consumers and sellers considered quality and environmental friendliness the most important attributes of NTFPs. Structural and organizational innovations and considerable marketing efforts and sales promotion would be required to expand the market for Swiss NTFP, however. Our results indicate that certification of the products' origin, environmental performance, and quality could support such efforts and that recreational and ecological forest services have a synergetic potential for the marketing of NTFPs.     

Opportunities for making the invisible visible: Towards an improved understanding of the economic contributions of NTFPs

Forests around the world remain under-valued because governments, policymakers, and other key actors do not consider the global or national contributions of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) when estimating the value of forests. Where available, existing estimates suggest the non-cash benefits of forests are substantial, in many cases three to ten times higher than those for which systematic national and global data are collected. Part of this under-valuation stems from a general focus by governments on forest resources that are commercially valued as well as from government failure to include estimates of NTFP contributions in their national accounts. Beyond these reasons, however, lay methodological challenges in measurement techniques and comparability across studies, countries, and regions, both of which result in limited data on NTFPs. This article reviews NTFP studies at the global and national levels to provide estimates of the non-cash contributions of NTFPs and to shed light on challenges related to the absence of systematic, reliable data on the economic contributions of forests. The article then considers the implications for forest governance, management, and policy, arguing that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer an opportunity to increase attention on the non-cash contributions of forests and turn this invisible contribution into a visible one.     

Options for Non-Timber Forest Product Management in the Condor Bioreserve,Ecuador

Abstract

This paper describes and evaluates the current role that non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and their users play on the conservation of the four protected areas-Reserva Ecológica Cayambe-Coca, Reserva Ecológica Antisana, Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, and Parque Nacional Sumaco-Napo Galeras-that comprise the Condor Bioreserve. The category non-timber forest product (also referred to as non-wood forest product) encompasses a myriad of resources that reside in forests and can be useful to people. Plants from which NTFPs are derived play essential roles in tropical forest ecosystem processes such as regeneration and nutrient cycling. In the Condor Bioreserve, certain species of such plants are commercially valuable while others are endangered. People are extracting these NTFPs from the Bioreserve, yet the magnitude and frequency of such extraction is unknown. This paper examines how the three groups of land users that have been identified by The Nature Conservancy-colonists, indigenous peoples, and hacienda owners-may utilize NTFPs. Understanding the role that these plants play in the lives of its collectors is imperative for designing effective strategies to alleviate pressure that extraction may place on the Condor Bioreserve ecosystems. Data on who harvests NTFPs, which plant parts they use, what quantities they harvest, and harvest frequency must be complemented by insight into how each group benefits from these activities. Moreover, an unbiased approach must examine how NTFP extraction may enhance certain ecosystems in addition to ways in which it may hurt Bioreserve resource ecosystems.     

森林经营与林区经济社会可持续发展

森林资源的科学经营是实现资源可持续发展的重要措施。也就是必须以科技创新为动力促进森林资源的可持续发展。但是 ,科技创新是需要相应的制度创新来保证和实施的。森林资源是林区经济社会可持续发展的物质基础 ,森林资源的科学经营不仅直接关系到产业结构的调整和农村劳动力的转移 ,也关系到城镇化建设与发展 ,从而必然地促进了林区经济社会的可持续发展。福建省是我国南方的重要林区 ,也是自然环境较为优越的林区。因此 ,如何在科技创新和制度创新基础上加强森林经营 ,便具有重要的现实意义