Eric T Jones | Independent Researcher (original) (raw)

Books, Chapters, Articles by Eric T Jones

在1994～1996年的3个秋季收获季节,对奥林匹克半岛生物圈保护区的鸡油菌 (Cantharellus formosus [cibarius] 和C.subal-bidus)的商业性、消闲性和... more 在1994～1996年的3个秋季收获季节,对奥林匹克半岛生物圈保护区的鸡油菌 (Cantharellus formosus [cibarius] 和C.subal-bidus)的商业性、消闲性和维持生计性采集进行了调查。本文描述了①采集者的社会-文化特征 (民族、阶层、权力、性别、年龄和亲属关系);②采集者的组织(生产单位、策略、实践、采集方法、劳动力分配和对于资源的权利);③商业性采集的经济价值。采用的主要方法是对79个商业性采集者的面对面调查和访谈及对53个消闲性采集者的面对面调查和通信调查。民族和社会阶层是商业性和消闲性采集者之间冲突关系的最突出的社会性因素他们在其他方面如价值观、行为规范和集体观念万面,却有着惊人的一致。在商业性采集者中,拉丁美洲人取代了东南亚人和美籍欧洲人。他们总收入较低,在3～5个月的收获季节的4周采摘期内,平均大约每个采摘日能获得30美元

大约30多名生物学家、资源管理者、社会学家和志愿者从1993年到1996年一起合作,研究美国华盛顿州奥林匹克半岛采集鸡油菌(Cantharellus sp.)的生物学、社会经济学与管理的问题。... more 大约30多名生物学家、资源管理者、社会学家和志愿者从1993年到1996年一起合作,研究美国华盛顿州奥林匹克半岛采集鸡油菌(Cantharellus sp.)的生物学、社会经济学与管理的问题。不同地形上生产力的高度变化与较低的蘑菇价格使采集者密切注意更多的法规、更高的许可证费以及限制某些人采集的合同(这些人出最高的投标价格来获得一些地区的采集权)。公共与私人资源管理者面临着预算的降低、许可证的必要花费和包括收获管理实际花费在内的其它费用;公共土地管理者也必须遵守现有的法规,向那些为商业和消闲目的使用森林者收费。对机械和资产的蓄意破坏、潜在的责任要求和非法倾倒垃圾迫使公有林和工业林管理者严格控制他们的资产;这种做法限制了一般公众与寻找传统和新收获地点的蘑菇采集者接近林地。虽然采集者与研究志愿者的社会和经济背景不同,但他们大多数愿意帮助管理者和科学家进行长期野外研究。合作成功的基本要素是从最初的项目概念设计到数据收集、分析、综合与报告都必须做到提前规划和各方共享信息

人与生物圈蘑菇研究的目的是促进自然界与人类社区的可持续发展,它包含了具有各种不同态度和不同林业管理知识的相关人员。它利用跨学科和合作研究的方法将来自科研、国家和州政府以及商业部门的生物学家、... more 人与生物圈蘑菇研究的目的是促进自然界与人类社区的可持续发展,它包含了具有各种不同态度和不同林业管理知识的相关人员。它利用跨学科和合作研究的方法将来自科研、国家和州政府以及商业部门的生物学家、社会学家、土地管理者和非营利志愿者联合起来。由于合作和跨学科的项目性质,研究开发者通过竞争获得另一笔拨款来总结他们的工作作为俄勒冈州立大学可持续林业合作组的4个科研教学案例之一。这第二项拨款产生了3项成果。第一项成果描述可持续性的理论基础和定义、可持续框架下的人与生物圈蘑菇研究如何运作、研究中有利害关系的人如何被选择和如何工作,以及可持续性研究的5个主要要素。第二项是教学注释包,它解释学生、资源管理者、科学家和其它人如何利用案例研究开展他们自己的跨学科可持续性研究。第三,是带解说词的一套64张幻灯片,解释美国西北部太平洋地区非木材产品资源的例子。研究案例既可以作为大学正式课程来讲授,也可以在1天的成人教育研讨会上讲授

Nontimber forest product harvesting in the Pacific Northwest is neither a new activity nor a disa... more Nontimber forest product harvesting in the Pacific Northwest is neither a new activity nor a disappearing relic of the pre-industrial era. Though the emphasis may have shifted from subsistence to commercial and recreational pursuits, harvesting and harvesters of wild species are still widespread throughout the region. Hundreds of businesses and thousands of harvesters earn part or all of their income from the harvests. Every year thousands of pounds and hundreds of nontimber forest products valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars are harvested from regional public and private forests. This harvesting of a large diversity of species represents a considerable subset of the overall terrestrial biodiversity in Pacific Northwest forests. Despite widespread extraction, little investment in research, planning, or basic inventorying and monitoring has been done on nontimber forest products. Without better information, land managers will be increasingly unable to make informed decisions on how to manage nontimber forest product biodiversity sustainably as demand for products increases.

Anthropology News

The increasing use of computerized decision support system (DSS) tools in environmental decision ... more The increasing use of computerized decision support system (DSS) tools in environmental decision making raises a number of questions that merit critical study: How are these technical tools influencing the decision-making process and what is the effect on the breadth of public participation? When a computer-based decision support system arrives at the table, which stakeholders have their voice in the debate amplified and which have their voice diminished? In which contexts and scenarios do these tools promote equity among the various stakeholders? In which do they reinforce existing power differentials? What is the effect on the distribution of costs and benefits? Do DSS tools promote efficiency and effectiveness in complex multi-stakeholder processes? Although a great deal of technical research has gone into the creation of DSS tools these critical questions remain unanswered and are largely unstudied. It is widely acknowledged that public participation is crucial to effective and long-lasting solutions to environmental problems and so it is important to understand how the use of tools such as DSS affects collaborative problem-solving.

Until recently restoration planning at the West Eugene Wetlands had not considered the anthropoge... more Until recently restoration planning at the West Eugene Wetlands had not considered the anthropogenic influences over 12,000 years on the regional ecology prior to EuroAmerican settlers that began arriving 170 years ago to the area. However, the Kalapuya, the indigenous inhabitants of the area, were not simply passive residents. They were active managers of the landscape, engaging regularly in burning fields and forests, pruning, weeding, tilling and in many more activities that made the environment more favourable for their livelihoods. In order to understand better the role of indigenous cultural practices in the Willamette Valley it helps to think of the Kalapuya people's relationship to their local environment as akin to a keystone species. Keystone species are recognized as having a disproportionate influence on their environment relative to their collective biomass. When keystone species are removed from an ecosystem or habitat – like an arch without a keystone – the habitat or ecosystem collapses. The Kalapuya people maintained and perpetuated ecosystems for NWFP production that otherwise would not have thrived, thus having the effect of a keystone species.

More and more small- to mediumsized private landowners are venturing into the world of biodiversi... more More and more small- to mediumsized private landowners are venturing into the world of biodiversity set-asides, conservation easements and other conservation incentive programs, and managing their forests and farms for ecosystem services (e.g., biodiversity, clean water, cool streams) to earn extra income or tax breaks. What is less commonly known is that many could be earning additional income selling forest products, especially nontimber forest products harvested as a part of the management plan of their conservation area(s).

The potential for traditional and local ecological knowledge to play a role in contributing to bi... more The potential for traditional and local ecological knowledge to play a role in contributing to biodiversity conservation has been recognized from the international level to the local level. There are challenges associated with maintaining, communicating, and integrating this knowledge for forest management, however. In this paper we summarize how indigenous peoples, family forest owners, and commercial nontimber forest product harvesters in the Pacific Northwest perceive and conceptualize biodiversity. We synthesize what is known from the existing literature about their traditional and local ecological knowledge relating to forest management, and how that knowledge maintains or enhances biodiversity. Included is a discussion of the extent to which biodiversity is a value these groups manage for, and constraints they face in doing so. We also assess methods and models for communicating and integrating traditional and local ecological knowledge into biodiversity conservation efforts on public and private lands in the Pacific Northwest. We conclude by suggesting ways forward for developing mutually-beneficial mechanisms of communicating and using traditional and local ecological knowledge for forest management.

Non-industrial private forest owners in 16 states were surveyed about their interest in learning ... more Non-industrial private forest owners in 16 states were surveyed about their interest in learning about managing their land for nontimber forest products. T-tests of means, Mann-Whitney U-tests, and crosstabulations identified land tenure, resource management, and socio-demographic characteristics associated with interest in nontimber forest products. Our results indicate that landowners likely to be interested in managing for NTFPs are those who have more formal education, are active forest managers, have greater access to forested land, and prior experience or familiarity with nontimber forest products.

As approaches espousing the importance of local participation in natural resource decision-making... more As approaches espousing the importance of local participation in natural resource decision-making have gained political ascendancy in recent years, local communities are being seen as the most appropriate managers of local natural resources. However, this overlooks the important role played by external, mobile groups who also have a stake in managing and harvesting certain natural resources. Thus, when influence and control over natural resources shift toward local communities, how local community is defined determines who will share in this power and who will benefit from natural resource management and allocation decisions. In this paper, we weave together non-equilibrium management theories emerging from Sahelian rangeland ecology and North American fisheries with examples drawn from wild mushroom harvesting and management in the Pacific Northwest. Mobility strategies play a central role in these three resource arenas, all of which share non-equilibrium system characteristics of high variability and unpredictability in productivity. The case study of wild mushroom harvesting shows how defining local community by year-round residential proximity to forests may be socially, ecologically, and ethically unsound: Narrowly conceptualised fixed-in-place communities may not be the most useful socio-political units for developing the economic potential of forest resources where mobility may be necessary for economic viability; The notion that community residents have greater incentives to practise resource stewardship than 'outsiders' does not hold true for situations where 'outsiders' are using transhumance strategies, visiting the same forests, and more importantly, working with the same patches throughout a season, and often from year to year; Failure to see transhumants as an integral part of communities-of-place denies the validity of the attachments that mobile harvesters develop to the forests in which they work, and also diminishes the importance of the social connections they form with each other and residents of the places in which they work. In conclusion, we offer a few suggestions as to how communities and policy makers alike can create an environment conducive to the sustainable and profitable harvesting of this type of natural resource. Suggestions range from improvements at a local level, to the need to re-examine concepts and decision-making processes at a policy and planning level. These include ensuring resource tenure security for both 'insiders' and 'outsiders'; creating fora to allow for the participation of mobile harvesters in developing more appropriate policies; and ensuring that definitions of 'community' do not exclude others who depend upon and manage certain natural resources. These suggestions are applicable not just to the specific case of mushroom harvesting in the USA, but also have resonance in many areas, in both the North and South, where natural resource management is being devolved to the 'community'.

Harvesters of non-timber forest products (“NTFP”, such as floral greenery, mushrooms, basketry ma... more Harvesters of non-timber forest products (“NTFP”, such as floral greenery, mushrooms, basketry materials, and medicinal plants) often have sophisticated if rather unsystematized knowledge of species biology and ecology as well as harvesting practices. This article explores why their knowledge and practices are typically undervalued, if not ignored, both by research scientists and forestland policy-makers and managers. Reasons include: despite the stimulus to NTFP activity by world system dynamics, modernist discourse typically marginalizes local understandings; the low occupational prestige of NTFP harvesting; geographic remoteness; the secrecy characteristic of mushroomer culture; and the general mycophobia of Anglo culture. A three-year study of chanterelle mushroom harvester on the Olympic Peninsula Biosphere Reserve (Washington, USA) shows that these forces combine to exclude harvesters as legitimate co-managers of temperate forest ecosystems. We document how such exclusion has resulted in both passive and active harvester resistance to research and management, a devalorization of local harvesting traditions, and missed opportunities for collaboration. We locate these issues both in ethnographic reality as well as relevant political and cultural contexts, concluding that despite “New Forestry” co-management rhetoric, NTFP workers will likely remain excluded – contributing in turn to the continuing legitimacy crisis of public and private forest management entities.

The Pacific Northwest is a region where commercial demand for a variety of NTFPs – floral greens,... more The Pacific Northwest is a region where commercial demand for a variety of NTFPs – floral greens, mushrooms, berries, mosses - has expanded rapidly over the past fifteen years, creating space for new types of harvesters. These are mainly recent Southeast Asian and Latino immigrants who find this work allows them some degree of self-direction and income. However, tensions have arisen between Native Americans, Euroamericans, and recent immigrants over access rights to NTFPs as competition for these previously abundant resources has grown. Increased harvesting has also brought concerns about sustainable harvesting forward.

During the past decade, a variety of new state and federal laws and regulations have been develop... more During the past decade, a variety of new state and federal laws and regulations have been developed to regulate the use and management of NTFPs on federal and state lands. A growing body of literature on the social aspects of NTFPs indicates that few NTFP harvesters and buyers are involved in the development of these rules. This policy overview draws upon the authors' five years of ethnographic research on the politics of NTFPs and wild mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States to describe and analyze barriers to NTFP harvester and buyer participation in NTFP policy fora. Three case examples of efforts by participants in NTFP industries to organize themselves politically so that they can have a voice in policy and management decisions are discussed. The overview concludes with a series of recommendations for steps that non-governmental organizations and public land management agencies can take to support harvester/buyer efforts to expand their influence over forest policy and management decisions.

This 424 page anthology provides the first comprehensive examination of nontimber forest products... more This 424 page anthology provides the first comprehensive examination of nontimber forest products (NTFPs) in the United States. As the first national overview of NTFP policy and management specific to the United States, it brings together research from numerous disciplines and analytical perspectives--such as biology, ecology, economics, history, ecology, law, entomology, forestry, geography, and anthropology--in order to provide a cohesive picture of the current and potential role of NTFPs. The thirty-two contributors review the state of scientific knowledge of NTFPs by offering a survey of commercial and noncommercial products, an overview of uses and users, and discussions of sustainable management issues associated with ecology, cultural traditions, forest policy, and commerce. They examine some of the major social, economic, and biological benefits of NTFPs, while also addressing the potential negative consequences of NTFP harvesting on forest ecosystems and on NTFP species populations.

Forest Community Connections

In recent decades, the shift toward ecosystem management and the growth of community-based and mu... more In recent decades, the shift toward ecosystem management and the growth of community-based and multi-stakeholder approaches to forestry have contributed to the increased visibility of NTFP harvesting. Interest has been growing in how NTFPs might be promoted as a tool to diversify and strengthen rural economies through managing for biological diversity. In this chapter, we focused on commercial NTFP harvesters and explored some of the opportunities and challenges of integrating them into forest management. One fact is indisputable: despite little active management by foresters, a great diversity of species are harvested commercially. This diversity collectively represents a significant subset of the overall floral diversity found in the temperate, subtropical, and boreal forests of the United States. The potential benefits of active management and further integration of NTFPs into forest management are great and include restoration of unhealthy forests into healthy ecosystems and new economic opportunities. Actively integrating NTFPs into forest management also presents an opportunity to enhance forest management and stewardship. Social scientists have documented that harvesters’ on-the-ground knowledge is valuable for enhancing forest management. Likewise, advocates for forest-workers’ rights have shown that involving harvesters in the dialogue about forest management fosters better communication across stakeholder groups and promotes democratic participation of a wider group of forest users. Integrating NTFP issues into forest management faces several challenges, however.Habitat lost to development, logging, mining, grazing, and road building is a significant threat to wild plant populations. This in turn reduces the supply of material available for harvesting. Securing reliable access is another critical factor, and the use of herbicides in the eradication of invasive species and other vegetation control is a potential threat. Policies, regulation, and legislation can reduce access and act as formidable barriers to developing local NTFP businesses. In sum, a variety of factors impede the profitability of harvesting, which weakens the potential of NTFPs to strengthen rural economies. Integrating NTFPs with traditional forest management requires a shift toward ecosystem management based on holistic and interdisciplinary understandings of the diverse species harvested, as well as the diversity of cultural groups involved in harvesting.Working with diverse populations—all of whom have different “ways of knowing,” cultural practices, and widely varying degrees of power and political representation—is another challenge. Effective policies to guide and regulate NTFP industries within a sustainable ecosystem management approach should be careful not to privilege the wealthy but should work instead to advance the knowledge development and stewardship of the resources by harvesters.

Uncertainty, in its many manifestations, is a central factor in the management of complex systems... more Uncertainty, in its many manifestations, is a central factor in the management of complex systems (environmental (J. van der Sluijs 2007), climate (Risbey and Kandlikar 2007), medical and financial (McDaniel and Driebe 2005)). Nowhere is this more apparent than in management of ecosystems heavily influenced by human impacts. True to the characteristics of complex systems, the very distinction of cause and effect are blurred as environmental degradation drives changes in economic factors and social-cultural relationships, feeding back to influence the state of the ecosystem (Liu, et al. 2007). In such a system, uncertainty exists in many attributes: in the knowledge of the current state of environmental conditions and their relationships to economic and social factors; in the variability of these conditions and relationship over time; in the projections of the effects of human management interventions; and in the reliability of the outputs of mathematical models used to assess these conditions, relationships and projections (Walker, et al. 2003) . The different actors involved in planning, each having a unique standpoint, view uncertainty differently, for example regarding a high level of uncertainty either as a reason for action or as a factor supporting inaction. The way in which uncertainty is managed in a planning and policy process has important implications in terms of framing the deliberations and influencing the balance of power among the various entities involved in system governance.

This chapter highlights the critical need to understand and incorporate sociocultural issues asso... more This chapter highlights the critical need to understand and incorporate sociocultural issues associated with nontimber forest products (NTFP) harvesting in forestry research, management and policy making in USA. The relevance of several political ecology approaches to the study of nontimber forest products is examined. The challenges of conceptualizing and categorizing NTFP harvesters are discussed, and the relevance to policy making of some specific demographic variables is illustrated. The importance of understanding livelihood strategies and harvester culture is also examined, and the interrelationship of traditional ecological knowledge, tenure theory on self-regulation, and stewardship behaviors.

Reports, Proceedings by Eric T Jones

Large, but not insurmountable, obstacles remain to nontimber forest product (NTFP) development in... more Large, but not insurmountable, obstacles remain to nontimber forest product (NTFP) development in the Middle Fork forest region east of Eugene, Oregon. he NTFP resource base itself is not a problem as these products are plentiful in the watershed. Though living wage jobs associated with NTFPs are scarce in the Middle Fork, the hundreds of harvesters and small businesses identified through the permit data suggest that harvester interest isn’t a major barrier either. The biggest barriers are lack of access and infrastructure. The U.S. Forest Service controls the majority of access to NTFP resources in the region and without their cooperation and investment, NTFP businesses will likely remain suppressed and many will choose to quit or harvest illegally as has been the case in other areas where agency support was lacking. The U.S. Forest Service must also provide infrastructure support as they have done for timber, fire suppression, road building, recreational activities and other management actions on the district. Support should include staff and resources to inventory and monitor NTFPs, measure the impacts of other activities (e.g., spraying) on NTFP ecology, culture, and economics and community outreach. Support should also include doing proper planning, especially that as required by the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Forest Management Act.

Anthropology News

Forest Community Connections

In this paper, we explore how modeling tools used in the multi-stakeholder process for salmon rec... more In this paper, we explore how modeling tools used in the multi-stakeholder process for salmon recovery in the Columbia River basin implicitly frame strategic planning so as to exclude other perspectives such as backcasting and the Precautionary Principle.

This paper starts with a deceptively simple question: where are the pickers? This question calls ... more This paper starts with a deceptively simple question: where are the pickers? This question calls for more than just fieldwork; it is useful to turn the gaze on ourselves for a moment. Why is it that we almost never see SFP harvesters themselves at SFP workshops, seminars, etc.? Why do the policy and research communities know so little about the people doing the actual harvesting work? Social scientists working in SFP harvesting and ethnobotany in both temperate and tropical ecosystems report that local harvesters typically have an intimate knowledge of flora and species relationships. So why aren’t the often sophisticated understandings and concerns of harvesters taken seriously in the formulation of SFP policies? Given how commonplace harvesting of a wide array of forest resources is among peoples around the world, why is it so new and surprising to think that many people in our region make a living by harvesting forest resources other than trees? Or to turn this around, why has one necessary but destructive use of our forestlands—large-scale logging—assumed such primacy in our thinking, to the exclusion of other ways to use forest resources?

A presentation addresses commercial and noncommercial issues and opportunities for greater biodiv... more A presentation addresses commercial and noncommercial issues and opportunities for greater biodiversity management on tribal tree farms.

Nontimber forest products (NTFP) in the United States are harvested for commercial and noncommerc... more Nontimber forest products (NTFP) in the United States are harvested for commercial and noncommercial purposes and include thousands of wild or semi-wild species or parts of species used for medicines, foods, decorations, fragrances, containers, dyes, fuel, shelter, art, ceremonial purposes, and more. Despite the known and substantial economic value of a few individual NTFPs, and the unknown, but likely high economic value of NTFPs in aggregate, historically managers have not included them as important factors in forest management. Not only do NTFPs comprise a significant part of the biological diversity of forest ecosystems, but given the lack of formal NTFP research, the many people who harvest NTFPs part or fulltime have the most knowledge about them. Consequently, efforts to conserve biodiversity are unlikely to succeed unless knowledge about NTFPs, and the effects on them of various forest management activities such as timber removal, grazing, prescribed burning, and NTFP harvesting practices, becomes an integral part of forest management. This research project attempts to address these issues through achieving two objectives: 1) to advance understanding of the role and impact of NTFP management in forest ecosystem sustainability and biodiversity; and 2) to support the ability of U.S. forest managers to assess NTFP sustainability. We developed five interrelated components to meet these objectives. The first component is an online species database expanded from 857 to 1,343 entries. The database serves as an initial tool for identifying NTFP species that currently or formerly existed in their region and that can potentially be incorporated into planning for biodiversity conservation, forest restoration, cultural use patterns, and sustainable economic development. The second component is an online bibliographic database expanded from 1,468 to over 2,600 entries. The database aids in identifying NTFP references of books, journals, and gray literature. A large portion of the entries are annotated. The academic publications included in the database are drawn more heavily from the international NTFP arena, which is where the majority of NTFP research has been done thus far. The third component is a national survey of Forest Service Ranger District employees and state forest managers for the purpose of examining NTFP management in relation to biodiversity. The surveys include several questions specifically addressing inventory and monitoring activities. The fourth component is ethnographic fieldwork throughout the lower 48 United States that entailed driving over 37,000 miles to meet harvesters and other stakeholders in their communities. The fieldwork included formal and informal interviews and participant observation with hundreds of NTFP harvesters and other stakeholders including land managers, scientists, Native Americans, commercial businesses, and environmental groups. The fifth component is a series of four all-day multi-stakeholder workshops and a three-day retreat of the seven member project team held to discuss the possibilities for inventory and monitoring programs involving NTFP harvesters. The results of these meetings including rationale, harvester incentives, barriers, case studies, recommendations, and steps for creating participatory inventory and monitoring programs are incorporated into a companion document to this report.

Mushrooms in Forests and Woodlands. Anthony B. Cunningham and Xuefei Yang (eds). People and Plants International Conservation Series

Determining the economic value of these harvests is usually difficult and economic valuation meth... more Determining the economic value of these harvests is usually difficult and economic valuation methods are in their infancy. Traditional commodity tracking systems, such as national trade databases, list few if any wild fungi species and on-the-ground tracking systems are typically insufficient where they exist at all. One notable example is the trade data from the Japan External Trade Organization for matsutake (Tricholoma spp.) imports to Japan. Furthermore, harvesting practices and market networks are often deeply rooted in cultural values, indigenous knowledge systems, and stewardship practices. Commercial, recreational and subsistence activities may be interconnected and/or operating alongside each other, and these concurrent gatherings make isolating it market values difficult, and potentially create misleading descriptions that omit the real economic values of fungi harvests. Yet, despite the lack of reliable statistic, commercial fungi trade is an important part of many local economies. The evidence for commercial importance is exemplified by the existence of field buying stations where harvesters sell mushrooms and the presence of fresh and value-added products in village markets, grocery stores, airport specialty shops, in restaurants, and on internet marketing sites. Additionally, the economic potential for commercialized wild fungi is unknown, because limited active management of wild fungi on a commercial scale occurs in native forests or in forests managed for industrial timber production.

This study provides an overview of nontimber forest products (NTFP) programs on national forests ... more This study provides an overview of nontimber forest products (NTFP) programs on national forests in the United States. We conducted an email survey in 2003 to obtain data on NTFP management activities on national forests across the country. Program characteristics examined in the study included important NTFPs managed on national forests, presence of NTFP coordinators and law enforcement programs on ranger districts, incorporation of NTFPs into forest planning documents, presence of NTFP inventory and monitoring programs, managers’ views on barriers to and opportunities for including NTFP harvesters in NTFP inventory and monitoring efforts, and managers’ perceptions of barriers to expanding commercial NTFP harvesting. The data indicate that the agency is constructing a foundation for scientific NTFP management. The study identifies lack of funding and internal administrative capacity as key barriers to adequate incorporation of NTFPs in Forest Service planning, inventory, and monitoring.

This report synthesizes the literature on the role of informal economic activity in the United St... more This report synthesizes the literature on the role of informal economic activity in the United States postindustrial economy. Informal economic activity is expanding in the United States and is likely to continue in the foreseeable future. The formal and informal economic sectors are inextricably intertwined, with individuals and households combining elements of both sectors to construct their livelihoods. Although the informal economy is often thought of as the domain of economically marginal individuals and households, virtually everyone participates in the informal economy to some extent. However, the literature highlights how factors such as social status and household position in the formal economy affect whether participation in informal economic activity is exploitative or empowering. The nontimber forest products sector serves as a case study of why it is important to consider informal economic activity when developing natural resource and economic development policy. We recommend steps policymakers can take to identify and encourage positive aspects of the informal economic activity. We also highlight several areas of research to improve understandings of the role of informal economic activity in postindustrial societies.

This paper draws upon experiences in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States to examine... more This paper draws upon experiences in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States to examine key issues associated with expanding user group participation in NWFP management. It summarizes major strengths and weaknesses of user group participation in resource management decision-making. Key policy venues where expanded participation is needed are identified and the importance of the structure of participation processes is discussed. Policy recommendations aimed at supporting participatory NWFP management are provided.

Future work on interdisciplinary research needs to address integration between formal and informa... more Future work on interdisciplinary research needs to address integration between formal and informal science. Wilson's grand unification of scientific knowledge fails to mention the diversity of scientific discovery outside formal scientific realms, yet scientists exploring the role of communities in forest management will find that community members generate their own understandings and knowledge relevant to sustainable forestry. Anthropologists have been documenting for over a century the often highly sophisticated understandings of ecological phenomena that indigenous and other community groups develop. These groups were traditionally local, but increasingly spread over large geographic distances (e.g., urban mycology clubs that regularly frequent distant forests). Regardless of the origin of these communities, no forest in the United States is void of communities with local knowledge about them. Without the direct participation of these stakeholders in forest science, management, and policy, sustainable ecosystem management of forests will probably elude us. The lessons learned through interdisciplinary work may be the key to discovering areas of compatibility in which participation by diverse stakeholders can occur, and to forming epistemological bridges between formal and informal science. The value of informal science is that interdisciplinarity—broadly conceived to include informal science—could be better at generating new knowledge and novel insights than either formal or informal science alone.

This report synthesizes the existing literature about traditional and local ecological knowledge ... more This report synthesizes the existing literature about traditional and local ecological knowledge relating to biodiversity in Pacific Northwest forests in order to assess what is needed to apply this knowledge to forest biodiversity conservation efforts. We address four topics: (1) views and values people have relating to biodiversity, (2) the resource use and management practices of local forest users and their effects on biodiversity, (3) methods and models for integrating traditional and local ecological knowledge into biodiversity conservation on public and private lands, and (4) challenges to applying traditional and local ecological knowledge for biodiversity conservation. We focus on the ecological knowledge of three groups who inhabit the region: American Indians, family forest owners, and commercial nontimber forest product (NTFP) harvesters. Integrating traditional and local ecological knowledge into forest biodiversity conservation is most likely to be successful if the knowledge holders are directly engaged with forest managers and western scientists in on-the-ground projects in which interaction and knowledge sharing occur. Three things important to the success of such efforts are understanding the communication styles of knowledge holders, establishing a foundation of trust to work from, and identifying mutual benefits from knowledge sharing that create an incentive to collaborate for biodiversity conservation. Although several promising models exist for how to integrate traditional and local ecological knowledge into forest management, a number of social, economic, and policy constraints have prevented this knowledge from flourishing and being applied. These constraints should be addressed alongside any strategy for knowledge integration.

Since time immemorial, Native Americans have resided in Western Oregon. Today, many of these tri... more Since time immemorial, Native Americans have resided in Western Oregon. Today, many of these tribes, including the Kalapuya, Molalla, Umpqua, Rogue River, Clackamas, Tillamook, some Shasta, and many other people from regional tribes are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The West Eugene Wetlands are within the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya and a part of the vast expanse of lands regional tribes ceded to the U.S. Government in treaties between 1853 to 1855. After the treaties were signed, the tribes were relocated by the U.S. Government to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation located 30 miles west of Salem, Oregon at the foothills of the coast range. Traditionally, the tribes utilized hundreds of plants for food, medicine, structures, weaving materials and more. The tending, harvest, and use of plants had (and continues to have) important roles in ceremonies, celebrations, and household use. Today, tribal members face many challenges to gathering traditional plant resources due to pollution, the neglect of culturally important species, and the lack of access to sites suitable for sustainable harvesting. To address this problem Grand Ronde members are forming strategic public and private partnerships to help plan and implement projects to restore culturally and ecologically significant plants within their ceded homelands.

Since time immemorial, Native Americans have resided in Western Oregon. Today, many of these trib... more Since time immemorial, Native Americans have resided in Western Oregon. Today, many of these tribes, including the Kalapuya, Molalla, Umpqua, Rogue River, Clackamas, Tillamook, some Shasta, and many other people from regional tribes are part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The West Eugene Wetlands are within the traditional homelands of the Kalapuya and a part of the vast expanse of lands regional tribes ceded to the U.S. Government in treaties between 1853 to 1855. After the treaties were signed, the tribes were relocated by the U.S. Government to the Grand Ronde Indian Reservation located 30 miles west of Salem, Oregon at the foothills of the coast range. Traditionally, the tribes utilized hundreds of plants for food, medicine, structures, weaving materials and more. The tending, harvest, and use of plants had (and continues to have) important roles in ceremonies, celebrations, and household use. For thousands of years the Willamette Valley has provided a vast array of plant foods for the Native American people that live here. Many traditional foods can be found in the West Eugene Wetlands, a varied landscape of upland oak savannah, upland prairie, wetland prairie and riparian zones that host a great diversity of plants and animals. For example, tarweed (Madia sp.), grows on dry prairies, camas grows on wet prairies, hazel grows on dry semi-open or brushy areas, and the oaks grow in dryer zones. The Kalapuya used a variety of management techniques to improve food production systems. The maintenance of the traditional foods through tilling, digging and other activities helped maintain the varied landscape. Controlled fires were regularly set which had many benefits including keeping out unwanted competitor species and insects, and returning nutrients to soil.

A timeline poster juxtaposing thousands of years of American Indian living in the Willamette Vall... more A timeline poster juxtaposing thousands of years of American Indian living in the Willamette Valley against the relatively recent arrival of EuroAmerican settlers.

Multi-stakeholder public participation is widely held to be crucial to the success of environment... more Multi-stakeholder public participation is widely held to be crucial to the success of environmental problem solving (Dietz 2008). The use of computer-based decision support systems (DSS) is increasingly prevalent in these planning processes (NRC 2007) because of the complexity of the problems. Using salmonid recovery planning in the Columbia Basin for analysis, this exploratory study examines how the use of DSS in multi-stakeholder environmental planning affects the breadth and quality of public participation, equity among participating stakeholders and quality of outcomes. Uncertainties masked by the reassuring appearance of precision provided by computer modeling and numerical benchmarks, can exclude valuable viewpoints, methods and principles from planning. A robust system of knowledge quality assessment, informed by an extended peer community and guided by the principles of adaptive management can improve both the quality and breadth of information upon which good decisions are based.

This printable poster provides the names and pictures of twenty-seven commercially viable nontimb... more This printable poster provides the names and pictures of twenty-seven commercially viable nontimber forest products and their seasonal distribution.

This short extension factsheet provides a general introduction to harvesting and marketing commer... more This short extension factsheet provides a general introduction to harvesting and marketing commercially valuable wild edible mushrooms.

Agricultural Extension Agroforestry Forest Farming Non-timber Forest Products Nontimber Forest Pr... more Agricultural Extension Agroforestry Forest Farming Non-timber Forest Products Nontimber Forest Products Rural Development Rural Livelihoods Sustainable Rural Development Wild Foods Wild Mushrooms

This factsheet provides a brief overview of public forest lands as a resource for commercially ma... more This factsheet provides a brief overview of public forest lands as a resource for commercially marketable nontimber forest products, focusing primarily on federal lands.

This short extension factsheet provides a general introduction to developing a nontimber forest p... more This short extension factsheet provides a general introduction to developing a nontimber forest product-oriented upick tourist operation on private forestlands.

The purpose of this primer is to introduce Oregon native truffles to small‐to‐medium sized forest... more The purpose of this primer is to introduce Oregon native truffles to small‐to‐medium sized forestland owners interested in income opportunities to supplement or replace timber management. In addition to a basic overview of the resource, this fact sheet contains links to additional information sources to help with inventorying, industry contacts, business planning, and markets.

Oregon grape (Mahonia spp.) is a native understory shrub found in Pacific Northwest forests. Thi... more Oregon grape (Mahonia spp.) is a native understory shrub found in Pacific Northwest forests. This short extension factsheet provides a general introduction to developing a commercially viable Oregon grape root production on small forest lands.

This forty-nine page market analysis provides guidance in assessing the potential market value of... more This forty-nine page market analysis provides guidance in assessing the potential market value of the medicinal plant, Oregon Grape Root. The contents are oriented toward the small, temperate woodland entrepreneur seeking to develop a business plan. This report describes all steps in the value chain, from production to marketing. Although this report focuses on one medicinal plant, much of the information is applicable to other commercially valuable nontimber forest products such as other wild forest foods, floral greenery, and native seeds and transplants.

This extension factsheet provides a general introduction to managing for, harvesting and processi... more This extension factsheet provides a general introduction to managing for, harvesting and processing, and marketing native seed as an income source on private forestlands.

Nontimber forest products (NTFPs), defined as any product obtained from forests for personal or c... more Nontimber forest products (NTFPs), defined as any product obtained from forests for personal or commercial use other than industrial timber, can be an important source of income for forestland owners. One barrier to the development of NTFP businesses beyond the start‐up phase is expanding labor to increase production. Many new businesses start with the owner, family members and/or business partners providing labor to harvest, process, package, market, deliver, handle bookkeeping and possibly many more activities start‐ups might entail. At some point, however, as the scale of the operation increases, additional sources of labor may be required. Finding affordable labor may be one of the greatest challenges you face in running a business producing and marketing nontimber forest products. This fact sheet is an attempt to introduce possible labor options and well as spur you own creativity in finding labor solutions.

This factsheet provides an overview of native culinary truffles found in Oregon, their habitat, s... more This factsheet provides an overview of native culinary truffles found in Oregon, their habitat, sustainability issues and commercial considerations.

This poster introduces and connects two income opportunities for rural forestland owners: farmsta... more This poster introduces and connects two income opportunities for rural forestland owners: farmstay agritourism and nontimber forest product harvesting.

This factsheet provides a general introduction to harvesting and marketing different species of h... more This factsheet provides a general introduction to harvesting and marketing different species of huckleberry. It provides information on management huckleberry for farm and forest income diversification.

Many small forestland owners are venturing into the world of biodiversity set‐asides, conservatio... more Many small forestland owners are venturing into the world of biodiversity set‐asides, conservation easements, and other environmental stewardship incentive programs to earn extra income and tax breaks by managing their forests and farms for ecosystem services such as biodiversity, clean water, and fish‐friendly cool streams. What is less commonly known is that many of these landowners can earn additional income selling forest products, especially nontimber forest products, harvested as a part of the management plan and agreement to maintain conservation areas on their land. This factsheet provides a brief overview of jointing management conservation easements and commercially harvesting marketable nontimber forest products.

This extension factsheet provides a general introduction to raising, harvesting and marketing com... more This extension factsheet provides a general introduction to raising, harvesting and marketing commercially valuable transplants as an income source on private forestlands.

This guide will provide landowners like yourself information on how to conduct a basic inventory ... more This guide will provide landowners like yourself information on how to conduct a basic inventory of nontimber forest products on your land and digitally map your data. You can use free, widely available digital mapping tools that are increasingly a part of everyday life. A glossary of key terms is provided at the end of this guide. After learning some basic steps, you will be able to inventory and map features on your land, to show scenarios for possible future management activities, and to visually monitor changes on your land over time through the maps you create.

Participatory (collaborative, multiparty, citizen, volunteer) monitoring is a process that has be... more Participatory (collaborative, multiparty, citizen, volunteer) monitoring is a process that has been increasing in popularity and use in both developing and industrialized societies over the last several decades. It reflects the understanding that natural resource decisions are more effective and less controversial when stakeholders who have an interest in the results are involved in the process. An adequate number of such projects have now been organized, tried, and evaluated such that sufficient information exists to recommend a comprehensive approach to implementing such processes. This handbook was written for managers and scientists in the United States who are contemplating a participatory approach to monitoring biological resources, especially biodiversity. It is designed as a how-to manual with discussions of relevant topics, checklists of important considerations to address, and resources for further information. Worksheets for developing, implementing, and evaluating a monitoring plan are posted on a companion Web site. The subject matter is divided into 3 stages of a monitoring project encompassing a total of 22 topical modules. These modules can be used in any sequence on an ongoing basis. Stages and modules include (1) planning—documentation, goals, indicators, collaboration, decisions, context, organization, participants, communication, incentives, design, and resources; (2) implementation—training, safety, fieldwork, sampling, data, and quality; and (3) follow-through—analysis, reporting, evaluation, and celebrations. Collaboration always involves co-learning, so documenting choices, plans, and activities with the Web site worksheets is integral to the manual’s effectiveness.

Although participatory monitoring is becoming more widespread, it is unexplored territory for man... more Although participatory monitoring is becoming more widespread, it is unexplored territory for many forest managers and scientists. This curriculum is designed to be a companion training guide for “Broadening participation in Biological Monitoring: Guidelines for Scientists and Managers” (Pilz and others 2005). The purpose of the guidelines is to provide forest managers and scientists with a reference tool on how to organize public or stakeholder participation in biological monitoring activities. The purpose of this curriculum is to provide government and non-government trainers with a tool for introducing participatory biological monitoring and use of the guidelines to local managers and scientists during a one-day workshop. In addition to learning how to use the guidelines, the curriculum will help forest managers and scientists explore the reasons for a participatory approach to monitoring and the logistics of implementing such a project. Training sessions also provide an opportunity to network with nearby colleagues that have similar interests. The curriculum is divided into five units, each containing teaching objectives, a materials list, background and teaching strategies for instructors, masters for handouts and overhead transparencies, and five case studies. The five units of the curriculum are: Unit 1 - Introduction to participatory monitoring, Unit 2 - Essential considerations of a participatory biological monitoring project, Unit 3 - Participants and incentives, Unit 4 - Building skills for a participatory monitoring project, and Unit 5 - Peer-learning for next steps.

Forest managers and scientists are increasingly expected to conduct adequate biological inventory... more Forest managers and scientists are increasingly expected to conduct adequate biological inventory, monitoring and/or assessment on both public and private lands. Monitoring biological resources can stress the budget and resources of any land management agency, organization or company. At the same time, local people that are interested in the sustainable management of forests often informally engage in biological monitoring anyway and have knowledge and skills that can be applied to monitoring goals. These stakeholders are a resource that managers can tap to help them in their inventory and monitoring activities.

Understanding anthropogenic history of the West Eugene Wetlands is is essential knowledge for tod... more Understanding anthropogenic history of the West Eugene Wetlands is is essential knowledge for today’s managers and scientists planning for restoration of the wetland ecosystem. The native plant and animal species of the wetlands are likely adapted to a
landscape shaped by the human begins that lived in the area for many thousands of years, after the arrival of Indian people to the area over 12,000 years but before Euro‐American populations moved into the area. The reemergence of traditional ethnobotanical activities at the West Eugene Wetlands is an important step forward in the restoration of the area to a healthy ecosystem based on an understanding of the culture that shaped the area for more than 12,000 years.