Insights from a harvest trip model for non-timber forest products in the interior of Alaska

The harvest of non-timber forest products (NTFP) for personal uses such as hobbies and handicrafts, cooking and canning, and recreation is an important pursuit for many residents in Alaska (Pilz and others 2006). Five categories of NTFP have been designated by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization: (1) foods; (2) medicinal plants; (3) floral greenery and horticulture products; (4) fiber and dye plants, lichens, and fungi; and (5) oils, resins, and chemicals extracted from plants, lichens, and fungi (McLain and Jones 2002). As noted by Alexander and others (2002), interest in the harvest and use of NTFP has grown in the United States. Such products are harvested from forests throughout the United States (McLain and Jones 2002). While attention has been directed toward commercial aspects of NTFP use and harvest, cultural, religious, and social considerations are also important (Jones and Lynch 2002).