{"id":30674,"date":"2025-12-02T12:54:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T02:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/?p=30674"},"modified":"2025-12-02T12:54:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T02:54:56","slug":"non%e2%80%91timber-products-can-bridge-finance-gap-in-forest-restoration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodcentral.com.au\/non%e2%80%91timber-products-can-bridge-finance-gap-in-forest-restoration\/","title":{"rendered":"Non\u2011Timber Products Can Bridge Finance Gap in Forest Restoration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The cost of restoring forests has long been a formidable obstacle, raising questions about how to make such projects economically viable. And whilst native forest management, carbon credits, and payments for ecosystem services are often cited as solutions, they remain long-term prospects. Now, a group of researchers argue that the answer may lie in the overlooked potential of non-timber forest products, potentially valued at more than US $88 billion<\/a>, to generate income whilst keeping forests intact. In a study published in Ambio<\/a>, scientists from the University of S\u00e3o Paulo found that nearly 60 per cent of plant species sampled in the Para\u00edba do Sul Valley region possess some form of bioeconomic promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe advantage of non-timber product management is that it\u2019s based on the collection of leaves, branches, seeds, and fruits, constituting non-destructive management, keeping the forest standing and potentially bringing gains in the medium term,\u201d said Pedro Medrado Krainovic, the study\u2019s first author, who conducted the research during his postdoctoral work at USP\u2019s Institute of Advanced Studies with support from FAPESP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Para\u00edba do Sul River Valley region, forest inventory plots allocation, and the regional context of land use\/land cover. Credit: Ambio (2025). DOI: 10.1007\/s13280-025-02234-5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The team surveyed 46 forest plots, each measuring 900 square meters, across the valley that spans S\u00e3o Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Rio de Janeiro. Of the 329 species identified, 283 were native, and 167\u201459 per cent\u2014showed economic potential. Most were linked to medical applications, followed by cosmetics and food. Yet only 13 per cent of studies on these species had advanced to the stage of producing final products. Araucaria and ju\u00e7ara, both valued for their food uses, were among the most frequently studied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To gauge market interest, the researchers examined patents filed worldwide. 78 species had patents registered in 61 countries, though only 8% were in Brazil. \u201cThe number of patents is evidence of the economic potential of these species. It gives us an idea of what can already arouse interest and commercial potential. At the same time, those without patents show how much can still be found through research and development, such as new medicinal molecules, cosmetics, and even foods,\u201d Krainovic said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study suggests that non-timber products could serve as an economic bridge, offsetting restoration costs while timber species mature. Brazil\u2019s Forest Code prohibits timber exploitation in permanent preservation areas, such as riverbanks and steep slopes, but sustainable extraction of non-timber products could fund reforestation in these regions. Such management would add multifunctionality to forests that already deliver critical ecosystem services, including water supply, soil protection, carbon sequestration, and pollination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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