ABSTRACT
Nontimber forest products have become an indispensable element in any discussion concerning the problems confronting both tropical forests and the people who live in them (Peluso 1983, 1992; Conelly 1984; de Beer and Mcdermott 1989; Panayatou and Ashton 1992). When considering the exhaustion of forest resources, the literature highlights the importance of considering, as a major issue, the economic value of nontimber forest products, along with the economic value of timber. Hand in hand with this consideration comes increasing attention to the significant role of extractive activities in the socioeconomy of forest-dwelling people (Hecht et al. 1988; Godoy and Feaw 1989).
