The Challenges of Certifying Nontimber Forest Products

Certifying the ecological, economic, and social aspects of nontimber forest product management is complex and requires prudent application. The social issues surrounding access and utilization of nontimber forest products, and the informal economic systems under which many of these goods are traded, may be poorly addressed by a market-based initiative such as certification. Nevertheless, certification may benefit certain products, and the process of developing and testing certification standards for best management practices of nontimber forest products will benefit researchers and managers, and perhaps also the communities that harvest these critical forest resources.