Alternative Forest Products

[John Burt]

In article <19990227140514.13524.00001568 at ng-ch1.aol.com>, TREES4WOOD
<trees4wood at aol.com> writes
>Does anybody know of any good websites that have a listing and techniques for
>producing and selling non-traditional forest products (i.e. mushrooms, ginseng,
>boughs, etc.)?  I am looking for another avenue my landowners can explore to
>make some money.
>Thanks in advance.
>-Trees
Interesting to see this posting, as I believe forestry and woodland
management can have as diverse a range of products and applications as
possible.
Perhaps it is Traditional methods of woodland management that would
provide the diversity you are looking for. Some time ago in my tree
hugging days, I spent a lot of time with the Greenwood Trust, based in
Telford, England. I,ve not done a search to see if they have a website.
They were exploring new and traditional methods of woodland use, and
developing new markets for greenwood products. If you have species other
than big softwoods growing in your woods, look at the yields they could
give if managed on a coppice rotation.
We have a good market for rustic forest products, through farm gate
outlets, garden centres and the like. Traditionally produced barbecue
charcoal, made from cut hardwoods, sells well, and smells a lot better
under the grill than softwood stuff.
 All of these are labour intensive, but can give a steady return if
researched and marketed right.
I'd be interested to see if anyone else has any experience of other
management techniques. Whilst maximising timber yield is most often the
prime concern for woodland owners, diversification can and should be
looked at, otherwise forested areas can become as lifeless a wasteland
as other areas managed for the sole production of a single crop.

-- 
John Burt

john at callerfence.demon.co.uk