Non-timber forest products
Looking for creative ways to use your woodland beyond timber harvests — or during the time between them? Consider exploring the exciting world of non-timber forest products.
Oregon’s forests offer a wealth of opportunities to find, manage and even profit from non-timber forest products, which include all non-industrial vegetation and materials found in forests or agroforestry settings that have, or could have, commercial value.
From the culinary delight of truffles and the vibrant flavors of huckleberries to the aromatic appeal of essential oils and the craftsmanship of woodturning, Oregon’s non-timber forest product options are as diverse as its landscapes. Popular examples of products harvested from Oregon’s forests also include mushrooms, medicinal plants, Oregon grape and floral greens.
Exploring your forest and creating an inventory of non-timber forest products is an essential first step in unlocking the full potential of your woodland and understanding its value. One tool that can assist landowners is the Institute for Culture and Ecology’s non-Timber forest products mapping guide, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to inventory non-timber forest products on your land and digitally map your findings. This guide is an invaluable tool for understanding what your woodland has to offer and how to manage these resources effectively.
To help you get started, here are fact sheets and additional resources for each of the most common non-timber forest products harvested from Oregon’s forests:
Mushrooms and truffles
Nontimber Forest Products for Small Woodland Owners: Shiitake Mushrooms
This publication explains how to successfully cultivate shiitake mushrooms in your woodland property.
Oregon Native Edible Truffles: Nontimber Forest Products for Small Woodland Owners
This publication highlights the identification, habitat, harvesting and culinary uses of Oregon’s gourmet truffles, offering sustainable practices for woodland owners to explore truffle foraging or cultivation.
Oregon Native Truffles
This fact sheet introduces forest landowners to Oregon native truffles.
Wild Mushrooms
This resource offers a brief introduction to harvesting and marketing wild edible mushrooms from small private forestlands in the Pacific Northwest.
Berries
Cultivation and Propagation
This slide deck from Washington State University Extension covers edible Pacific Northwest berries.
Huckleberry
This fact sheet will help you identify huckleberry species and explains how to harvest, process and market them.
Maple syrup
Nontimber Forest Products for Small Woodland Owners: Bigleaf Maple Syrup
This publication describes how to tap bigleaf maple trees for sap that can be boiled down to make maple syrup.
In the Woods podcast — Episode 33: Maple Syrup
In this podcast episode, you will learn more about the increasing popularity of maple syrup production in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest.
Decorative plants
Evergreen Boughs
This report provides a brief introduction to evergreen boughs as a potential source of supplemental income for small forest landowners.
Wild Floral Greens
This fact sheet provides a brief overview of the floral products that might be found on small private forestlands.
Medicinals and botanicals
Oregon Grape Root
This fact sheet briefly describes how to identify, harvest, process and market Oregon grape root for medicinal purposes.
Cascara Bark
This fact sheet briefly describes how to identify, harvest, process and market Cascara bark for medicinal purposes.
Forest Medicinals
This fact sheet describes general harvesting considerations for medicinal species with commercial value and introduces potential markets for these plants.
Handicrafts and specialty wood products
Figured Wood
This fact sheet provides an overview of figured woods in the Pacific Northwest as a supplemental income opportunity for small forest landowners.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
VIDEOS
Commercial Truffle Cultivation in Western Oregon
Oregon is a prime region for farming European truffles. Learn more in this recorded webinar.
Diamonds Under the Douglas-Fir
This recorded webinar introduces viewers to the wild and cultivated truffles of western Oregon. It explores their growth beneath Douglas-fir trees in 15- to 30-year-old stands and teaches participants how to locate, identify and harvest these prized fungi.
Goods from the Woods
Conifer boughs, firewood, truffles, cones and essential oils are just a few woodland products that can generate income for forest landowners. Learn how to market and collaborate to maximize your earnings from selling these “goods from the woods.”
OTHER
This member-owned cooperative supports forest landowners by developing markets for their products and services, assisting with access to production tools and resources, and sharing valuable information to improve forest management.
Oregon Forest Industry Directory
This regional directory lists buyers and sellers of forest products and has an extensive section devoted to non-timber forest products.
This small group of family forest landowners in northwest Oregon is closely allied with the Oregon Woodland Cooperative. They provide handcrafted, sustainably harvested wood products.
Non-Timber Forest Products
Use this Oregon State University Extension website to browse resources, articles, and information about events related to non-timber forest products.