Non-timber forest products, an emerging sector in Lanaudière - The regional committee announces its 2014 action priorities

Wild mushrooms, berries, northern walnuts, fiddleheads - the Lanaudière region has immense potential for non-timber forest products, commonly known as NTFPs. From the most common species to the little-known, regional players involved in the development of the agroforestry sector agree that Lanaudière possesses uniquely valuable products, and that this emerging sector must be supported. For 2014, the regional NTFP committee will be launching a Guide d'encadrement de la cueillette et de conditionnement des PFNL and working on the issue of species deemed vulnerable.

A forum for exchange and networking, the Lanaudière NTFP Committee keeps abreast of developments in the sector, as well as initiatives underway at the provincial level. Particular attention is paid to the sustainability of the resource and its development. To this end, one of our priorities is to establish channels of communication with ministerial, regional and municipal players, in order to ensure the sustainability of the resource and its development.ensure efficient resource management and preservation. Species deemed vulnerable will be the focus of attention.

The development of a quality workforce is also an important issue for the Group, which supports the training in the identification and harvesting of Lanaudière NTFPs, a source of regional pride. A 3e edition of the training program will begin in August 2014, and will now include in-company internships. Since the start of the training program, six (6) new businesses have been created, considerably enhancing the region's forest product offering.

To support the industry, a Guide d'encadrement de la cueillette et de conditionnement des PFNL (NTFP harvesting and packaging guide) is currently being drafted and will be distributed to entrepreneurs and harvesters. It will set out the main guidelines for the practice, applicable regulations, the main commercial and vulnerable species, handling and traceability elements, resource and habitat protection concepts, a harvesting code of ethics, and marketing support tools.

The Lanaudière regional NTFP committee would like to see this industry develop in a way that respects the resource, and that products from our Lanaudière forests can be found on market shelves. We invite interested people to follow us on Facebook, via the Network of NTFP harvesters Lanaudière.

 About the rs Regional NTFP Network
The regional NTFP committee came into being in 2012, following a mobilization of stakeholders wishing to support the emergence of the agroforestry sector. Led by the Conseil de développement bioalimentaire de Lanaudière (CDBL), the committee also brings together the following partners: Conférence régionale des élus (CRÉ) Lanaudière, Accord agroalimentaire Lanaudière, Ministère de l'Agriculture, Pêcheries et Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ), Ressources forestières biotiques, Ministère des Ressources naturelles (MRN), Association forestière de Lanaudière (AFL), Société d'aide au développement de la collectivité (SADC) Matawinie, as well as several other collaborators. For more information on the committee, please contact Benoit Rivest at 450 753-7486, ext. 247.

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