The non-wood forest products are of immense importance of the mankind. With industrialisation and urbanisation, timber and firewood can be substituted by other materials but there are still a large number of non-wood forest products for which no synthetic substitutes are available. There is an environmental and ecological angle associated with the harvesting of wood products. There are much less environmental issues associated with the harvesting of non-wood forest products. The non-wood forest products provide considerable employment and income to the rural poor and particularly to tribals. A large number of produce are exported outside and earn valuable foreign exchange. This book "Forests: the non-wood resources " deals with various kinds of non-wood forest products and their management. The dependence of tribals on non-wood forest products and the role of forest on their socio-economic fabric is also highlighted.
