Investigation on non-wood forest products and the utilization methods in Kamyaran forests

Although "By Products" is used to refer to those yields (products) that are consisting of Non-Wood forest products (NWFP), it is hoped that the public opinion is not as being valueless rather the meaning of inconsistent with capital investment should be understood. Regarding the importance and economic values of NWFP, by engaging the people throughout the whole procedure harvesting and processing are controlled and regulated, using the right methods, no doubt will lead to a constant and sustained forest. It also creates and maintains an everlasting income for all people which motivate them to preserve the source for their continual income. To realize this, it is important to know and understand the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the sources and its processes. For this purpose, in the forested area of Kamyaran city as a study area, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of NWFP and their different harvesting methods were studied. The forest coverage of this area, 28000 ha, accounted for 11% Kurdistan province forests. Using ethnography method and preparing technical questionnaires and handing and observing in the area while people were collecting and processing the products, over all 16 NWFP products including Persian turpentine gum, hawthorns (wild plum), wild pistachio fruit, almond, sumac, acorn fruit, jujube, damson, wild pear, acorn leaf, wild pistachio leaf, sweetbrier petal, manna of acorn, oleaster, sweetbrier fruit and walnut fruit the local people whom pay the most cost and labor, get the least income while the merchants get the largest part of the income. Some suggestions have been presented.