Non-wood forest products are more valuable than timber harvesting. These products can be a source of income for the local people.
Rubber is made from natural latex from rubber-trees in Brazil and Southeast Asia.
Cork is obtained from the bark of the evergreen cork oak from the Mediterranean region. The trees survive despite the removal of the bark. Sap is also tapped from the sugar maple to make maple syrup. Cinnamon is obtained from a bark of a tree found in India. Nuts can also be harvested from the forest. So can many different types of wild vegetables and berries.
Unlike deforestation, trees are not required to be chopped down to provide these materials. Sustainability is the key point in preventing uncontrolled deforestation.
Sources:
Goh Cheng Leong. (1998). Forests and Us. (p. 55-63). Singapore: Federal Publications.
