Non-timber forest products (NTFPs) are very important for local forest dwellers to increase their income. The growing demand for NTFPs resources with high economic value may lead to disorderly utilization and over-exploitation. 

Recently, researchers from Research Group of Ecology and Management of Secondary Forests in Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) revealed how harvest intensity affects the sustainable utilization of NTFPs by experimentally designing different harvest intensity levels to verify which harvest intensity is optimum for sustainable harvesting of NTFPs in a montane region of Northeast China. 

The researchers found that harvest activities could increase the yield of both two important NTFPs species (Acanthopanax senticosus and Aralia elata). Light harvest intensity (harvest 25% leaves) was favorable for the sustainable harvesting of Acanthopanax senticosus, and high harvest intensity (harvest all terminal buds) was beneficial to sustainable harvesting of Aralia elata. 

These results highlight the role of harvest intensity in the sustainable utilization of NTFPs, and provide practical guidance and theoretical basis for forest managers to harvest and manage NTFPs resources. 

Relevant results have been published in Forest Ecosystems entitled “Effects of harvest intensity on the marketable organ yield, growth and reproduction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs): implication for conservation and sustainable utilization of NTFPs” 

This research was supported by grants from the National Key R & D Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Strategic Leading Science & Technology Programme, CAS, and the Liaoning Revitalization Talents Program.