Forest, Range & Recreation Resource Analysis Table of Contents
6.0 Botanical Forest Products
Historically, non-timber forest-based products (e.g., edible and medicinal plants) have received little notice relative to wood products. As the value and harvested volume of botanical forest products has increased, their recognition as products from B.C. forests has also grown.
The term “botanical forest products” is now used to recognize seven major categories of gathered products from forest and range lands: wild edible mushrooms, floral greenery, medicinal plant products, fruits and berries, herbs and edible plants, landscaping products, and craft products.
6.1 Wild Edible Mushrooms
Mushroom harvesters and forest district staff report that 35 species of edible wild mushrooms are harvested in B.C. Most commercially harvested wild edible mushrooms are exported to Europe and Japan. The primary markets for chanterelles (Cantharellus spp.), boletes (Boletus spp.), and morels (Morchella spp.) are Germany, France, Italy, and Japan (where they are traditional food). The pine mushroom (Tricholoma magnivelare), also known as matsutake, is exported almost exclusively to Japan where it is considered a delicacy.
Harvesters have identified two growing urban markets in B.C. for mushrooms: ethnic communities in large urban centres (such as Vancouver) who use many mushroom varieties in traditional cuisines; and chefs in speciality or gourmet restaurants who strive to meet customer demand for new culinary experiences.
6.2 Floral Greenery
Floral greenery can be grouped into five categories: aromatic oils, basketry filler, Christmas decorations, fresh/dried flowers, and greenery. Most of these products are shipped to U.S. companies who distribute them domestically or export internationally.
In 1991, 2136 tonnes of western redcedar foliage were harvested for oil extraction in the Nelson and Kamloops Forest Regions. Salal (Gaultheria shallon) and falsebox (Pachistima myrsinites) are becoming increasingly popular as a floral greenery and can often be found in purchased flower arrangements.
6.3 Medicinal Plant Products
Many plants and fungi produce compounds that have medicinal uses. Pharmaceutical companies are continuously investigating and analyzing ethnobotanical uses of plants for potential new compounds in the search for new drugs.
A survey of B.C. harvesters and forest district staff indicates that about 22 known medicinal plant species are commercially harvested in B.C. Harvesters report an increasing demand for herbal remedies that are naturally derived as an alternative to synthetic pharmaceuticals.
6.4 Fruits and Berries
About 32 species of B.C. fruits and berries are used in jams, preserves, jellies, wine, and herbal teas. Commercial harvesting includes seven types of fruits and berries such as currants (Ribes spp.), blackberries (Rubus spp.), blueberries and huckleberries (Vaccinium spp.), and saskatoon berries (Amelanchier alnifolia).
6.5 Herbs and Edible Plants
About 18 herbs and vegetables are currently harvested in B.C. for personal use or commercial sale. Urban preference for a varied diet has created demand for various wild natural foods. For example, commercially harvested salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis) shoots, and fiddleheads (Matteucia struthiopteris), are sold to markets in Vancouver, eastern Canada, and the United States. Some products, such as the starchy materials in “biscuit-root” (Lomatium spp.), camas root (Camassia quamash), and cattail (Typha latifolia) roots, can be substituted for wheat flour, benefiting individuals with acute allergies to domestic grains.[110]
6.6 Landscaping Products
British Columbian harvesters, forest district staff, and garden nurseries report increased interest in native plant species for landscaping. Native plants often adapt better to local environmental conditions than cultivated species, and usually require less water, fertilizer, and maintenance.
Native plants, especially in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, are beginning to be used for land reclamation along highway corridors and mining areas. Native wetland species are collected and replanted in wetland areas affected by highway construction.
Reports indicate that about 49 species native to B.C. are used for commercial landscaping purposes and are supplied by harvesters under contract to nurseries and garden centres.
6.7 Craft Products
Craft products are handmade objects produced for ceremonial, artistic, or functional purposes. They include baskets, canoes, handmade furniture, carvings, bows, arrows, and natural dyes, which are made for personal use or commercial sale.
6.8 Product Values
Although the commercial value of botanical forest products is largely unknown in B.C., some insights can be gained from experience in the United States. For example, the Bureau of Land Management estimates that the Pacific Northwest floral greenery industry alone employs 10 000 people and contributes $128 million annually to the regional economy.[111] The export value of wild edible mushrooms in Oregon is valued between $35 and $80 million annually.[112] Preliminary results from an ongoing study of the wild edible mushrooms industry in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho suggest that four million pounds of wild edible mushrooms (picked by 27 855 harvesters) generated revenues of $20.3 million during 1992.[113]
6.9 Issues
Commercial harvesting of botanical forest products has raised several issues: ecosystem sustainability; land use planning; loss of government revenue; complexity of administering harvesting; social and economic factors; and health and safety.
With the introduction of the Forest Practices Code of British Columbia Act, a strategy for developing forest ecosystem management that includes botanical forest products will be formally stated.
Research on the ecological, social, and economic factors related to botanical forest products was initiated in 1994 to provide a better understanding of the importance and role of these products, and the necessary provisions to be made for them in forest management in B.C.
