ABSTRACT
An important dimension of the forest policy and governance landscape is that of unseen forest users. This concept includes categories such as non-timber forest product harvesters, undocumented workers, unauthorized recreationists, and those engaging in illicit cultivation of cannabis on public, private, and tribal lands. What these forest users have in common is that they tend to operate outside of official sanction and control and in many cases go to great lengths to avoid being detected. Nevertheless, policies often play important roles in setting the context within which unseen forest uses occur. These can include non-timber forest product harvesting policies, immigration policies, state-level cannabis policies, and others. Changes in private land ownership and associated changes in informal access can also influence the dynamics of some unseen uses and users. This chapter explores these dimensions and situates them within the larger context of forest policy and governance dynamics.
