Non-wood forest products

Turkey is considered rich in terms of NWFPs (See Ann.13). Due to different climatic and geographic conditions in Turkey so many tree, shrub and herbaceous plant species naturally grow in the Country. Of 11000 plant species exist in whole Europe, Turkey has 9000 plant species of which almost 3000 are endemic. Most of the NWFPs are found in forests along the coast line with canopy cover less than 10 % (Other wooded land). Inhabitants of these areas are usually forest villages with low income. Most of the NWFPs are collected by these people at low prices (Tariff price). Permission and amount to be collected decided by GDF, and endangered plant species are protected to sustain the biological and genetic diversity.

The non-wood products derived from those plants are generally exported as raw or semi-raw materials while some of the products are needed in domestic market as medicine, culinary and aromatic matters and usually the chemical substances fixed from those products are imported for medicine and chemistry industries in Turkey

Some essential non-wood products are resin, storax, leaves of Laurus nobilis L, Eucalyptus sp, Thymus sp, etc, fruits of Quercus ithaburensis Decne, Rhus L., Cerasus mahalep L, Pistacia terebintus L, Pinus pinea L etc, incense, bark of Pinus brutia Ten, Betulus sp, corms of Galanthus, oak gull, mushrooms.. etc.

NWFPs were not attached enough importance by villagers and collectors before 1995. Then with the increase in exports the demand for these products was escalated. This led to the increased contribution of NWFPs to the rural economy and increased demand for more production. Factories and other facilities that processes NWFPs are increasing so is the quality of processed NWFPs.

GDF recently handled the issue and initiated works towards identifying the NWFPs potential in forests, conducting workshops and panels to improve management of NWFPs in sustainable manner and increasing their contribution both to rural people and national economy.

Still there is no detailed inventory on actual potential of NWFPs, the last inventory is made last year and distribution of main NWFPs are located together with their important habitats. The GDF is preparing for more accurate inventories and with the integration of biological diversity to the management plans, it is expected to have accurrate information on NWFPs in the Country. The plans will also facilitate more sustainable use of NWFPs in sound controlled manner.