Non-wood forest products, the utilization, and harvesting methods in Sardasht, North West Iran

Non-wood forest products include all kind of services which forest offers except woody production. People were using the forest resources over many centuries to fulfill the daily needs. However, only in the last decades non-wood forest products have gained more attention in world trade. Sardasht region in the northwestern Iran with a considerable forest cover was chosen as a study area. In order to carry out the study, questionnaires were prepared and distributed among local people, and the results were analyzed. All kind of non-wood productions which could be exchanged for money were listed. Other kind of non-market services such as protection of soil resources and recreation were not evaluated. Different forest by-products were recognized in the area including acorn, foliage leaves, galls, turpentine, pistachio (Pistacia vera) nuts, leaves and fruits of roses, cherry elaeagnus (Elaeagnus edulis), hawthorn (Ceratagus spp), wild plum (Prunus spp.), bitter almond (Amygdalus communis), walnuts (Juglans spp.), manna of oak trees, wild pear (Pyrus spp.), sumac (Rhus coriaria). Among all these products, turpentine is the only non-wood forest product which can be exported to neighboring countries. Other non-wood forest production has not widely spread in the market, but is being consumed at local scale for household needs by local people. However, the non-wood products play an important role fulfilling the peoples’ needs through both non-market and market means. It is possible to improve the role of non-wood forest products in the daily life of local people with providing facilities such as better transportation system and marketing.