Who, what, and why: the products, their use, and issues about management of non-timber forest products in the United States

Non-timber forest products in the United States include floral greens, Christmas ornamentals, wild edibles, medicinals, crafts, and transplants. Non-timber forest products are important to many people for many reasons. People harvest products from forests for personal use, cultural practices, and sale. The tremendous variety of species harvested for the many markets stands in stark contrast to our poor knowledge of the biology, prices, or responses to harvest and habitat change for most of the species. The diversity of species harvested, lack of knowledge about the plants or their use, and inadequate institutions to ensure sustainable harvesting complicate policymaking and law enforcement.