An Overview Of Inventory And Monitoring For Nontimber Forest Products

Inventory and monitoring of nontimber forest product species are critical issues in the formulation of sustainable land management policies and plans. Strategies used to assess resource conditions and trends cover three key areas: 1) descriptive and nonstatistical, 2) statistical, scientific and research, and 3) holistic. The type, relevance and cost of information provided by each of these approaches differ. We provide an overview of methods and factors to consider when designing and implementing an inventory and monitoring program, examining or analyzing existing data, or formulating policies based on a resource assessment.