Fatty Acid Composition of Hazelnut Kernel Oil from Coula edulis Collected in the Republic of Congo

Coula edulis is non-timber forest product (NTFP) used in Africa for its hazelnuts, which contain edible seeds with a demonstrated nutritional potential. However, there have been very few scientific studies of this species in the Republic of Congo. Thus, the aim of the current study was therefore to determine the fatty acid composition of the oil extracted from Coula edulis hazelnut seeds collected at random in the Republic of Congo. The oil was extracted using the Soxhlet method and its fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. The extracted oil from Coula edulis hazelnut kernels is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids (95.28%), particularly oleic acid (94.5%), which classifies it as an oleic oil and gives it interesting nutritional and therapeutic properties. On the other hand, saturated fatty acids (4.15%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (0.35%) are not well represented. Its low poly-unsaturated fatty acid content makes it more stable when stored at room temperature.

Non-timber forest products and household incomes in Bonga forest area,southwestern Ethiopia

We identified the major non-timber forest products （NTFPs）, their contributions to household incomes, and the determinants influenc-ing engagement of households in using NTFPs in the Bonga forest area of Gimbo and Decha Districts of Kaffa Zone, southwest Ethiopia. Six Kebeles （the lowest administrative unit in Ethiopia） were sampled from two Districts and 150 households were randomly sampled using propor-tional-to-size techniques based on the number of farm households in each Kebele. Secondary data were collected from and focus group discussions were conducted with selected individuals. The farmers diversified liveli-hood activities such as crop and livestock production, collection of NTFPs and off-farm activities. NTFPs played a significant role in household incomes. The contribution from the major NTFPs （forest coffee, honey and spices） accounted for 47% of annual household in-come. The role of NTFPs was influenced by a number of factors. Vari-ables including being native to the area （＋）, total land holding （＋）, pos-session of livestock （＋） and access to extension （＋） significantly affected forest coffee production. Age of household head （-）, land holding （＋） and distance of the market from the residence （-） significantly affected honey production. Size of landholding （＋）, distance to market （-） and distance of the forest from the residence （-） were significant variables determining the NTFP incomes derived by the households. Attention is needed in the design of policies and strategies for the well-being of households to the contribution of NTFPs to local incomes and the variables that affect the collection of NTFPs must be considered.

国际森林认证与我国野生森林产品开发

世界森林认证发展迅速。目前认证体系可以分为全球、地区和国家三个层次。我国政府森林认证立法起步较晚,挑战和机遇并存。森林认证包括林场管理、产销供应链和非森林木材产品认证,其中后者对我国森林认证具有深远的意义。结合世界森林认证体系发展历程和我国具体国情,对我国开发非木材林产品提出了建议。

非木质林产品开发利用的历史沿革与趋势探析——四川省平武县的实证分析

非木材林产品(NTFP)的重要性日益引起国际研究的广泛关注,而现有研究主要立足于NTFP利用现状的截面。平武县是既具有典型性又具有特殊性的山区县,回顾其NTFP开发利用的历史变迁,从中发掘规律性因素,并对今后的发展进行探讨。

Socio-economic factors influencing mopane worm(Imbrasia belina) harvesting in Limpopo Province, South Africa

In South Africa, non-timber forest products, especially 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 harvesting has implications for long term management of the mopane woodlands in the northern parts of South Africa. In order to keep a balance between mopane worm harvesting and biodiversity, an understand- ing of socio-economic factors influencing the harvest at household level is vital to reducing depletion and overex- ploitation of the mopane woodland resources. This study evaluated the socio-economic factors influencing mopane worm harvesting decisions in rural households in Limpopo Province, South Africa using a binary logistic regression model based on a household survey of 120 respondents. Age, gender, education, income from mopane worm sales, social capital （group affiliation）, household size, lack of institution/law to regulate use, distance to the nearest har- vesting site, and regional locations were statistically significant factors influencing household mopane worm harvest decisions. Implications for policy are discussed.

Governance of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) Djansang (<i>Ricinodendron heudelotii</i>) and Wild Mango (<i>Irvingia gabonensis</i>) and Its Influence on the Livelihood of Rural Communities of Yokadouma in the East Region of Cameroon

The objective of the study is to contribute to the sustainable governance of Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) (Djangsa and Wild mangos) on rural livelihood of communities surrounding the rainforest in Yokadouma. The economic potential of Non-Forest Timber Products (NTFPs) and its influence on rural livelihood and development has made it a constant national and international policy debate. However, Cameroon policies and institutional Legal framework is inconsistent with the exploitation and valorisation of these important rural livelihood activities. This study was carried out in Yokadouma in the East Region of Cameroon between February and July of 2020. Respondents were drawn from a cross-section of NTFPs exploiters and marketers. Data was collected through the administration of semi-structured questionnaire design with the aim to answer the research objective. During the recognisances survey, 172 persons concerned in these activities were identified within the 09 villages in the Yokadouma division. Out of these 172 identified persons involved in this economic sector, 165 were interviewed accounting for 96%. Data analysis was done in SPSS version 21 software. Results showed that the NTFPs sector is organized by 02 actors within the value chain who are the producers and retailers. Economic analysis of value chain revealed that producers were able to make 272,780 and 322,367 FCFA per person per season form djansang and wild mangos respectively. The constraints to sustainable management of NTFPs are the gradual disappearance of these tree species, instability of the production cycle, and stumpy involvement of economic operators in the processing chain, the harassments linked to inadequate legislation and the absence of standard measurement units used by retailers of these products. If NTFPs is well managed, it will create jobs and contribute to the economic development and subsequent improvement of livelihood of these rural communities.

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 perturbation or the other in the last five years）, and plantation forest （for areas carrying forest plantation）. Data were collected from eighteen 10 m × 500 m belt transects located in the above strata. The species were generally 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 plantation 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.

Diversity of non-timber forest products in Cachar District, Assam, India

We identified 67 and 21 NTFP-yielding plant and animal species, respectively, in a reserve forest in Cachar district of Assam. We recorded globally threatened species listed by IUCN as Critically Endangered （plant species Dipterocarpus turbinatus）, Vulnerable （plant species Aquillaria malaccensis）, Endangered （animal species Hoolock hoolock, Indotestudo elongata and Manis pentadactyla）, and Vulnerable （animal species Nilssonia hurum and Rusa unicolor）. The whole plant or animal and/or their various parts were used as food or medicine, in house construction, magico-religious activities and others. While some NTFPs were harvested throughout the year, others were harvested seasonally. A comprehensive NTFP policy, along with scientific measures for regen- eration, restoration and augmentation of NTFP-yielding plants and animals, would help in addressing the conflicting demands of conservation and livelihood in the forests of this area.

Exploring Potential of REDD+ Readiness with Social Safeguard through Diverse Forest Use Practices in Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Implementation is expected to be a measure for sustainable forest management by providing benefit for forest users based on their efforts. Without careful attention for the social safeguard, the mechanism of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation with forest management (REDD+) might cause negative impact such as depriving of customary forest use rights under unclear tenure and forest use rights typical in Indonesia. This study aimed to explore how REDD+ Safeguard can be applied in readiness activities by analyzing practical forest use situations in a conservation forest, the Gunung Palung National Park as study site. From the results of the questionnaire survey and interviews, characteristics of forest users were identified and compared. The households, mostly Malays, practicing traditional durian collection, were recognized as main forest users depending on on-farm income especially from non-timber forest product (NTFP). Since the income structure is relatively low and unstable, some of them practice farming in forest area or sell their forest use rights to other households. They are inclined to be lack in legal farm land and certain forest use rights. Based on the findings, consideration for diverse forest users and potential readiness activities were discussed and proposed. For achieving REDD+ implementation with sustainable forest management and social safeguard, it will be necessary to respect for customary rights and take comprehensive measures as readiness efforts.

Assigning conservation value and identifying hotspots of endemic rattan diversity in the Western Ghats, India

Rattans, or canes, are one of the most important non-timber forest products supporting the livelihood of many forest-dwelling communities in South and North-eastern India. Due to increased demand for rattan products, rattans have been extracted indiscriminately from the Western Ghats, a 1600-km mountain chain running parallel to the west coast of India. Extensive harvesting, loss of habitat and poor regeneration has resulted in dwindling rattan populations, necessitating an urgent attempt to conserve existing rattan resources. In this study, using niche-modelling tools, an attempt has been made to identify areas of high species richness of rattans in the Western Ghats, one of the mega-diversity regions of the world. We have also developed conservation values for 21 economically important and endemic rattans of the Western Ghats. We identified at least two to three sites of extremely high species richness outside the existing protected area network that should be prioritized for in situ conservation.This study emphasizes the need to develop strategies for the long-term conservation of rattans in the Western Ghats, India.

Rural households' livelihoods diversification through termite utilization in depressed region of Zimbabwe

This study sought to examine the utility of termites to rural households in depressed regions of Bikita,Zimbabwe.Colonialism and its spread of European culture had viewed entomophagy with contempt resulting in reduced utilization and consumption of termites in most colonies.In our quest to understand how people in depressed regions utilized termites,both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were employed.Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to gather data during field work.Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used in recruiting respondents.Excel and content analysis were used in data presentation and analysis.Results revealed that dampwood and drywood termites are climatic indicators for the rural communal farmers,a low-cost technology in weather forecasting.Subterrain and mold builders provide manure,relish,and are medicinal in nature.They are traded for income generation,and as for the poor,harvesting,processing,storage,and marketing is cost effective.Though considered nostalgic foods,most respondents highlighted that selling termites complimented other off-farm livelihood activities.Termite consumption and utilization provide a sustainable way for livelihood diversification in depressed regions and has partly addressed problems of food insecurity.

Tree species diversity and utilities in a contracting lowland hillside rainforest fragment in Central Vietnam

Background： Within the highly bio-diverse ‘Northern Vietnam Lowland Rain Forests Ecoregion＇ only small, and mostly highly modified forestlands persist within vast exotic-species plantations. The aim of this study was to elucidate vegetation patterns of a secondary hillside rainforest remnant（elevation 120–330 m, 76 ha） as an outcome of natural processes, and anthropogenic processes linked to changing forest values.Methods： In the rainforest remnant tree species and various bio-physical parameters（relating to soils and terrain）were surveyed on forty 20 m × 20 m sized plots. The forest＇s vegetation patterns and tree diversity were analysed using dendrograms, canonical correspondence analysis, and other statistical tools.Results： Forest tree species richness was high（172 in the survey, 94 per hectare）, including many endemic species（〉16%; some recently described）. Vegetation patterns and diversity were largely explained by topography, with colline/sub-montane species present mainly along hillside ridges, and lowland/humid-tropical species predominant on lower slopes. Scarcity of high-value timber species reflected past logging, whereas abundance of light-demanding species, and species valued for fruits, provided evidence of human-aided forest restoration and ‘enrichment＇ in terms of useful trees. Exhaustion of sought-after forest products, and decreasing appreciation of non-wood products concurred with further encroachment of exotic plantations in between 2010 and 2015. Regeneration of rare tree species was reduced probably due to forest isolation.Conclusions： Despite long-term anthropogenic influences, remnant forests in the lowlands of Vietnam can harbor high plant biodiversity, including many endangered species. Various successive future changes（vanishing species, generalist dominance, and associated forest structural-qualitative changes） are, however, expected to occur in smal forest fragments.Lowland forest biodiversity can only be maintained if forest fragments maintain a certain size and/or are connected via corridors to larger forest networks. Preservation of the forests may be fostered using new economic incentive schemes.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis L.) Extent and Sustainability in Western North Carolina

Bloodroot distribution and abundance were assessed in the Waynesville watershed in Western North Carolina. This high quality site provides a benchmark for bloodroot populations in the region. Summary data from an inventory of nine stands of bloodroot in the watershed are presented. Analysis of inventory data reveals that both petiole height and petiole diameter are negatively associated with overstory tree DBH, suggesting that there is an optimal overstory structure for bloodroot. In the Waynesville watershed, seven out of nine stands have an average tree DBH between 27.38 cm and 36.17 cm. Allometric equations re-lating belowground biomass to bloodroot petiole height and diameter have strong explanatory power, indicating that harvesters could selectively harvest large rhizomes by targeting plants with larger petioles. These results in combination with natural history, field observations and literature provide insights on the sustainability of bloodroot harvest in Southern Appalachia. Wild bloodroot is likely becoming scarce due to loss of favorable sites, such as rich cove forests, as well as harvest pressure.

Non-timber forest products and their contribution to healthcare and livelihood security among the Karbi tribe in Northeast India

Introduction:Non-timber forest products(NTFPs)have been an essential source for food,medicine,and handicraft products among the indigenous populations living in forested areas for millennia.Scientific research on the restoration of the importance of NTFPs and their value addition could potentially guide the development of new nutraceutical products in the future.The present study aims to investigate the diversity of non-timber forest products of the Karbi Anglong District of Assam in Northeast India.Methods:Multistage sampling technique was used for the study.A total of 70 respondents from 7 randomly selected villages were interviewed with a well-developed semi-structured questionnaire to explore the utilisation of NTFPs.Data analysis was done using four quantitative indices:(a)use report(UR),(b)use value(UV),(c)informant consensus factor(ICF),and(d)fidelity level(FL).Results:A total of 138 plant species belonging to 59 families distributed in 110 genera were recorded and identified as NTFPs of 1 type or the other.These include 42%having ethnomedicinal use,33%as edible forest products,15%as household building materials and utensils,6%as spices and condiments,and 4%as herbal dyes.Among the medicinal plant species,Abroma augustum(L.)L.f.,Amaranthus spinosus L,and Geophila repens(L.)I.M.Johnst.showed the highest ICF and FL.Conclusions:The present study confirms that NTFPs have played an essential role in the healthcare and livelihood of the indigenous people of the Karbi tribe throughout their generations and continue to do so.Also,the species with high value for both ICF and FL could be used for the development of new,cheap,effective,and eco-friendly herbal formulations for healthcare management leading to economic and social benefits to the indigenous tribe.However,anthropogenic pressure and overexploitation of NTFPs may lead to the loss of this precious natural resource from this area.

A framework for considering ecological interactions for common non-timber forest product species:a case study of mountain date palm(Phoenix loureiroi Kunth)leaf harvest in South India

Introduction:Many economically important non-timber forest products(NTFPs)come from widespread and common plant species.Harvest of these species often is assumed to be sustainable due to their commonness.However,because of the ecological roles of common species,harvest may affect and be affected by ecological interactions at broader scales,which are rarely considered when evaluating the sustainability of harvest.We use a case study of the mountain date palm(Phoenix loureiroi Kunth),harvested in South India to produce brooms,to present a conceptual framework illustrating how intensive harvest of a common species interacts with other anthropogenic management practices,plant-animal interactions and surrounding environmental conditions.Methods:We apply this framework to understanding the impacts of mountain date palm harvest in the southern Western Ghats regions of the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.We integrate data on the extent and levels of commercial harvest,local management practices,the ecological context in which harvest occurs,and research on harvest effects.We use this information to document the intensity and extent of mountain date palm harvest in the study area,identify the ecological implications of harvest,and demonstrate how a framework that considers harvest in the context of ecological communities and ecosystems is important for assessing the impacts of harvest of common NTFP species.Results:We show that mountain date palm leaves are heavily harvested from natural areas in the southern Western Ghats but that harvest levels have declined in recent years.Mountain date palm management and harvest occur within a network of ecological interactions,linking human activities to population-,community-,and ecosystem-level processes.We demonstrate that understanding the effects of return interval of anthropogenic fire,herbivory by wild animals and livestock,as well as the light environment in which harvest occurs are critical to assessing the sustainability of mountain date palm harvest.Conclusions:By considering mountain date palm leaf harvest in the context of ecological interactions at multiple scales,our findings show that sustainability cannot be assessed only from a population-level perspective.This general framework highlights the need to incorporate ecosystem-and community-level properties and processes more frequently into assessments of the sustainability of NTFP harvest—especially for widespread and common species—to ensure that their important economic and ecological roles are maintained.