Non-timber forest products
In additon to potential health benefits, today’s significant profits add impetus for continued scholarship about the traditional uses of special forest products in many cultures and for research on the plants themselves and their ecosystems. To develop and safeguard the economic viability of non-timber forest products and the communities they support, researchers’ goals are to preserve the hundreds of years of plant heritage that is part of the heart of Appalachia. “Products that are underutilized represent an opportunity, but those that are overutilized and endangered must be better managed,” says forest products faculty member Tom Hammett.
Beeswax: A secondary honey-bee product, beeswax is used to make candles, furniture polish, batik dying, cosmetics, waterproofing materials, crayons, candy, chewing gum, and wax for industrial needs. The demand for beeswax in the United States is higher than the supply.
Black cohosh: An Indian word meaning “rough,” black cohosh is also known as bugbane, black snakeroot, bogwort, fair candles, rattleweed, rattleroot, and squaw root. It’s used as a treatment for symptoms of menopause, PMS, and painful menstruation.
Black walnut: Prized for its wood, the native hardwood is now somewhat scarce. Its nuts, shells, and bark also have huge markets. The shell of the black walnut is one of the most difficult shells to crack. While this creates a challenge for nut processors, it also creates market opportunities. The hard shell can be used for metal cleaning and polishing. When ground up, the eastern black walnut shell becomes a soft grit abrasive that is well suited for air blasting, de-burring, de-scaling, and polishing operations because of its elasticity and resilience, giving great durability. Non-toxic and dust free, the shells are used in cleaning jet engines, electronic circuit boards, ships, and automobile gear systems, leaving the surfaces smooth without scarring. Explosive manufacturers use black walnut shells as a filler in dynamite.
Catnip: Catnip is a stimulus for cats but can be relaxing for humans, and relieves indigestion. It is also used as a dietary supplement to treat colds and flu.
Greenery: One decorative product with major potential is greenery. Materials gathered from the American forest have been used for holiday decorations and floral arrangements for hundreds of years. In the 1900s, ivy, holly, and evergreens were used increasingly in Christmas wreaths, roping, swags, and sprays. Today’s popular greenery come from white pine, Fraser fir, Norway and blue spruce, mountain laurel, boxwood, ivy, grape vine, juniper, Douglas fir, incense cedar, noble fir, holly, and eucalyptus. In the Central Appalachians, harvest and sale of white pine tips and other greenery materials provide an excellent opportunity for additional income for forest landowners and income from abandoned agricultural lands. The major constraints in marketing are the seasonal nature of this business and that greenery does not store for long periods of time.
Echinacea: Three species of daisylike plants — narrow-leaf purple coneflower, pale purple coneflower, and purple coneflower — were used by the Plains Indians for more medicinal purposes than any other plant group because they possess antibiotic properties. Today the plant is marketed as a dietary supplement to fight colds and flu. Caution: another herb, Rudbeckia laciniata, is also called “coneflower” and has been reported as toxic.
St. John’s wort: Derivatives from this plant are used as an anti-bacterial to help heal wounds. It is also known to reduce anxiety and mild to moderate depressive moods. Many other claims are made as well, such as antiviral activity. Non-medicinally, it’s used to dye fabrics.
Tree and shrub pollen: While tree pollen production will be a potential income source for only a few forest landowners, it is one that fits unique situations. Most processors are associated with large pharmaceutical companies, but they also purchase some raw material from some trained collectors, who receive $5 to $40 per pound of dried tree flowers.
Baskets, wreaths, and birdhouses made from non-timber forest products.
(Photos by Rick Griffiths)
Wreaths of leaves and greenery
Maple syrup is a significant non-timber forest product.
Plants that are highly sought as medicine and herbs that are on the United Plant Savers AT RISK list:
– Black cohosh root
– Bloodroot
– Blue cohosh root
– Catnip herb
– Ginseng herb and root
– Goldenseal herb and root
– Lobelia herb
– Mayapple
– Pink root
– Slippery elm bark
Other common forest plants with market value:
– Red clover blossoms
– Sassafras leaves, bark, and root
– Solomon seal root
– Star grub root
– Sweet gum
– Wild cherry bark
– Wild ginger root
– Wild hydrangea
– Witch hazel bark and leaves