FAO Forestry

Towards a harmonized definition of non-wood forest products
Over the past two decades an increasing number of governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and institutions, as well as the private sector, have become involved with the promotion and utilization of non-wood forest products (NWFPs). A lot of new information has been collected on the socio-economic importance and potential of NWFP utilization and its effects on the environment. However, little progress has been made to clarify the terminology for NWFPs. On the contrary, new and practically interchangeable terms have been created ("byproducts of forests", "minor forest products", "non-timber forest products", "non-wood goods and benefits", "non-wood goods and services", "other forest products", "secondary forest products", "special forest products") and a multitude of definitions proposed, all covering different aspects, species and products according to the focus of work of the respective author or organization. This lack of a clear terminology causes serious problems:
• Communication is becoming more problematic, since people are using the same term with different definitions, or without providing any definition at all.
• Studies and statistics are often not comparable, because of the different definitions and classifications used, in which some products are included while others are excluded.
• It has not been possible to create a comprehensive and consistent classification system on NWFPs, which can only be based on an agreed terminology including clear definitions. Definitions and classifications are crucial for improving the availability of statistical data.
In 1995, FAO made a first step towards a harmonized definition of NWFPs by organizing the International Expert Consultation on Non-Wood Forest Products in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, hosted by the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry. During this meeting, 120 participants from 26 countries, NGOs and UN agencies agreed on one definition of NWFPs: "NWFPs consist of goods of biological origin other than wood, as well as services, derived from forests and allied land uses."
The 1995 definition is currently being reconsidered within FAO; those concerned are evaluating the experience acquired in applying this definition during recent years and are reviewing the general discussion on terminology related to NWFPs. The discussion will lead to the use of a harmonized terminology within FAO, and it is hoped that it will contribute to a general agreement on a global definition of NWFPs.
Based on the recommendations of an internal interdepartmental FAO meeting on definitions of NWFPs held in June 1999, the following new FAO working definition of NWFPs has been adopted: "Non-wood forest products consist of goods of biological origin other than wood, derived from forests, other wooded land and trees outside forests."
According to this definition, slightly changed from the one adopted in Yogyakarta in 1995, the three components of the term "non-wood forest products" are interpreted as follows:
• Non-wood: The term NWFP excludes all woody raw materials. Consequently, timber, chips, charcoal and fuelwood, as well as small woods such as tools, household equipment and carvings, are excluded. Non-timber forest products (NTFPs), in contrast, generally include fuelwood and small woods; this is the main difference between NWFPs and NTFPs.
• Forest: NWFPs should be derived from forests and similar land uses. FAO has elaborated definitions of "forest" and "other wooded land" in a working paper on terms and definitions for the Forest Resources Assessment 2000. Since plantations are included in the FAO definition of forest, NWFPs that are obtained from plantations, such as gum arabic (Acacia Senegal) or rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), are thus included in the definition of NWFPs. Many NWFPs are derived from both natural forests and plantations. The final definition of "trees outside forests" (including trees originating from forests which are located out of the forest and other wooded land, such as Acacia albida and the Karité tree, Butyrospermum parkii) is still in the process of elaboration.
• Products: In the proposed definition, the term "product" corresponds to goods that are tangible and physical objects of biological origin such as plants, animals and their products. Forest services (e.g. ecotourism, grazing, bioprospecting) and forest benefits (e.g. soil conservation, soil fertility, watershed protection) are excluded. Services and benefits are even more difficult to assess and quantify than NWFPs and have therefore already been excluded from most publications dealing with NWFPs. A clear definition of forest services and benefits is still lacking.
The new FAO working definition proposes a clear distinction between wood and non-wood forest products, as an important basis for building a classification system. FAO welcomes any comments and suggestions on the proposed. definition and classification. Please send any remarks to Non-Wood News, the bulletin of FAO's NWFP programme (Chief, Wood and Non-Wood Products Utilization Branch, Forest Products Division, Forestry Department, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy; E-mail: non-wood-news@fao.org).
Source:fao