An overview on

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Presentation

• An overview on
• non-wood forest products development in Europe
• by
• Sven Walter
• FAO NWFP Programme
• COFORD Seminar
• Growing markets for non-wood forest products
• Tullamore, Co Offaly, 15 April 2005

2
Structure of Presentation

• 1. Introduction
• 2. NWFP in Europe facts and figures
• 3. NWFP in Europe outlook
• 4. Forest services
• 5. Current issues
• 6. Conclusions

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1. Introduction
FAOs Mandate

• to raise levels of nutrition and standards of
  living,
• to improve agricultural productivity, and
• to better the condition of rural populations.

4
1. Introduction
Mission of the NWFP Programme

• To improve the sustainable utilization of
  Non-Wood Forest Products in order to contribute
• to the wise management of the world's forests,
• to conserve their biodiversity, and
• to improve income-generation and food security.

5
1. Introduction
Key areas of the NWFP Programme

• Improving methodologies
• Supporting institutional capacity
• Strengthening global networking
• Promoting best practices

6
1. Introduction
What are non-wood forest products?
NWFP consist of goods of biological origin other
than wood, derived from forests, other wooded
land and trees outside forests.
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1. Introduction
Honey
Resins
Foliage
Bushmeat
Christmas trees
Fodder
Nuts
Ants eggs
Medicinal plants
Birch sap
Cork
Fruits and berries
Mushrooms
What are the main European non-wood forest
products?
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1. Introduction
NWFP statistics Caution!

• No recognized standard classification
• Incomplete national/regional coverage
• Problems of comparability
• Problems to estimate production/consumption
  trends
• Problems of aggregation
• Interdisciplinary topic

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1. Introduction
Key literature
Temperate and Boreal Forest Resource Assessment,
2000
Forest Resource Assessment, 2001
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1. Introduction
Key literature
State of European Forests, 2003
European Forest Sector Outlook Study, 2005
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1. Introduction
Key literature
Other specialized literature
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
Honey
Resins
Foliage
Bushmeat
Christmas trees
Fodder
Nuts
Ants eggs
Medicinal plants
Birch sap
Cork
Fruits and berries
Mushrooms
What are the main European non-wood forest
products?
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.1 Nuts
Annual value 3 billion EUR 2 Mio t (2000)
A street vendor selling fresh roasted chestnuts,
Piazza di Spagna, Rome, Italy.
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.1 Nuts
Annual value 3 billion EUR 2 Mio t (2000)

• Main products
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Chestnuts
• Hazelnuts

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.2 Game meat and pelts
Annual value 466 million EUR (large
underestimation)

• Meat of all hunted birds and mammals
• Pelt Skin of fur

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.2 Game meat and pelts
Annual value 466 million EUR (large
underestimation)

• Meat of all hunted birds and mammals
• Pelt Skin of fur

• Significant income to private landowners and
  public agencies

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.3 Christmas trees
Annual value 444 million EUR, 43 million
trees/yr (1990s)
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.3 Christmas trees
Annual value 444 million EUR, 43 million
trees/yr (1990s)

• Major seasonal and significant export crop (e.g.
  Denmark)

• Forest or horticulture product?

• Trend unclear Increased production in some
  countries, e.g. Ireland

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.4 Fruits and berries
Annual value 349 million EUR, 211 000t (1990s)
Clusters of bright red fruits of the European
mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia). These berry-like
fruits can be used for a wide variety of
purposes.
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.4 Fruits and berries
Annual value 349 million EUR, 211 000t (1990s)

• Main producers Scandinavia, Albania, Czech
  Republic
• Supply gtgt demand

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.5 Fungi and truffles
Annual value 262 million EUR, 77 000t (1990s)
Fresh porcini being prepared for cooking and
preservation in brine, prior to being sold.
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.5 Fungi and truffles
Annual value 262 million EUR, 77 000t (1990s)

• Important fungi Matsutake, chanterelles,
  boletes, morels

• Regional disparity
• Western Europe 68 of value and 40 of
  production
• Eastern Europe 26 of value and 48 of
  production

• Strong demand for wild fungi (subsistence
  commerce ?)

• Increased competition from cultivated
  fungi/truffles

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.6 Cork
Annual value 209 million EUR, 300 000t (2000)
Harvesting cork on a large Quercus suber tree in
Portugal.
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.6 Cork
Annual value 209 million EUR, 300 000t (2000)

• Bottle stoppers, floor covers, construction
  material, etc.

• Issues non-wood substitutes, product quality

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.7 Medicinal plants
Annual value 118 million EUR, 43 000t (1990s)
A western yew, Taxus brevifolia, is the prime
source of the anti-cancer drug taxol.
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.7 Medicinal plants
Annual value 118 million EUR, 43 000t (1990s)

• Wild gathering gt cultivation (species/volume)

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.7 Medicinal plants

• Issues
• Conservation (341 medicinal plants
  fully/partially protected)
• Substitution (e.g. Pacific yew/taxol)
• Cultivation (quality, price, demand supply)

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.8 Decorative foliage
Annual value 49 million EUR, 45 000t (1990s)
Juniperus procumbens bonsai in the shakan style
(Photo taken at the Bonsai Nursery, Denver,
Colorado).
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.8 Decorative foliage
Annual value 49 million EUR, 45 000t (1990s)

• Floral industry (tree branches, boughs, live
  plans, mosses, lichen)

• USA/North West Province ¼ of decorative foliage
  exported to Europe

• Increased cultivation of most popular species

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.9 Honey from forests
Annual value 34 million EUR, 31 000t (1990s)
Honey produced from the flowers of black locust,
Robinia pseudoacacia. In Italy it is marked as
Acacia honey.
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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.9 Honey from forests
Annual value 34 million EUR, 31 000t (1990s)

• Trend Increasing demand

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2. NWFP in Europe facts figures
2.10 Other NWFP

• Resins
• Eucalyptus oils
• Fodder/forage
• Bark
• Birch sap

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3. NWFP in Europe outlook

• Collection of NWFP as recreational activity
• ? recreation ? ? NWFP collection
• e.g. fruits, berries, fungi, medicinal plants
• Increase in Western Europe

• 2. Commercial collection of NWFP
• Decrease in Western Europe, increase in Eastern
  Europe
• More intensive management systems (truffles,
  cork, medicinal plans, foliage)

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3. NWFP in Europe outlook

• 3. Edible NWFP and medicinal plants
• Western Europe Increasing demand for natural
  products
• Eastern Europe NWFP perceived as inferior or
  high value products??

• 4. Cork
• Stable and moderate growth
• Product must remain price competitive and
  reliable

• 5. Decorative foliage
• Strong demand and future growth in Western Europe

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3. NWFP in Europe outlook

• 6. Christmas trees
• Demand driven by population numbers
• Luxury item innovative marketing and advertising
  required

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3. NWFP in Europe outlook
Total annual value of NWFP in Europe in the
mid-1990s (in EUR million at 2000 prices and
exchange rates)
Global Western Europe Eastern Europe CIS
NWFP 4 921 3 126 1 654 139
Wood 15 963 9 886 2 895 3 217
NWFP/Wood 24 24 37 4
Source FAO/UNECE. 2005. European Forest Sector
Outlook Study
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4. Forest Services

1. Recreation ?
2. Biodiversity conservation ?
3. Mitigation of climate change ?
4. Protection of soil and water
5. Cultural and spiritual aspects

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5. Current issues

1. Access to forest resources
2. Political and economic reforms in Eastern Europe
   and CIS
3. Substitution
4. Product quality
5. Certification
6. Statistical data

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6. Conclusions
Non-wood forest products development in Europe
Grading of dried bay leaves (Laurus nobilis) in
Turkey
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FAO NWFP Programme

• FAO
• Forest Products and Economics Division
• Forest Products Service
• Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
• 00100 Rome, Italy
• Fax [phone]
• Email non-wood-news_at_fao.org
• Homepage
• http//www.fao.org/forestry/FOP/FOPW/NWFP/nwfp-e.s
  tm
• Sven Walter
• Tel [phone], Email Sven.Walter_at_fao.org

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FAO - Departments

• FO Forestry
• GI General Affairs and Information
• SD Sustainable Development
• TC Technical Cooperation