Economic valuation of Non-Timber Forest Products: Bibliometric review

Abstract

The exploration of non-timber forest products emerges as a powerful alternative to combat deforestation, particularly in the Amazon region. These resources have traditionally been used by indigenous peoples, including medicinal herbs, copaiba oil, andiroba, and a wide variety of fruits, such as Brazil nuts. As the demand for these products grows, it becomes imperative to assign value to them. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis, a tool used to integrate results from independent studies on the same research topic over the past 30 years. Our analyses encompassed annual scientific production, author collaboration, and the average number of citations per year. The results revealed some points of concern. There has been a decline in the production of studies on this topic over time, a low number of authors interested in the subject, with each author contributing only once, and an average number of citations indicating interest primarily in the early years of research. These findings underscore the urgent need for incentives from governmental agencies, academic institutions, and environmental organizations to promote continuous and collaborative research in this area. Furthermore, it is essential to foster the engagement of more researchers and the appreciation of findings related to the sustainable exploration of non-timber forest products in order to effectively protect the Amazon and its natural riches.