Commercial Non-Timber Forest Products of the Guiana Shield:An inventory of commercial NTFP extraction and possibilities for sustainable harvesting

With 2.5 million square kilometers of largely intact tropical rainforest and savannah, 10–15% of the world’s fresh water reserves and an extremely rich and highly endemic biodiversity, the Guiana Shield ranks among the most important ecological regions in the world. This report highlights the Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) of the Guiana Shield. The data, conclusions and recommendations on monitoring the chains of NTFPs from harvest to consumer, on certification and on integrating NTFPs into forest management should assist both public policy and the private sector to operate more responsibly and sustainably.