Abstract or Keywords
Local residents near forests often collect non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for a variety of reasons, including food, medicine, firewood, religious reasons, or to produce handicrafts. This study focused on NTFP collection in the Phu Sritan forest in northeastern Thailand. Interviews were conducted with 568 residents to understand which NTFPs were collected, how the NTFPs are used, and how much income is generated. We found that 96% of those surveyed visit the local forest to collect NTFPs, mushrooms were the most frequently collected item, and the average income per year from NTFPs was $19 US. Also, most interviewees were not processing the raw materials collected, meaning that a value-added process for the NTFPs in the future could result in higher income possibility. We recommend that future research should focus on individual species that are under extreme NTFP collection pressures, and that harvest amounts should be measured and documented.