A systematic review of governance and management arrangements of non-timber forest products for conservation, sustainability, and livelihood outcomes
- 1Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, London, UK
Abstract
Despite their well-recognized ecological and socio-economic importance, the sustainability of non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvesting and management remains uncertain under current policy and governance frameworks. Existing management approaches are often fragmented or project-based rather than strategically integrated within sectoral policies. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 248 studies (1996–2024) to assess the ecological implications of NTFP extraction, identify reported drivers and governance bottlenecks associated with sustainability challenges, and compare governance models across NTFP systems. Most studies reported either positive conservation outcomes (71%) or potential for sustainable NTFP use (81%), with NTFPs supporting income diversification, subsistence, and socio-ecological resilience. However, 15% of reviewed studies document unsustainable practices linked to recurring challenges, including overharvesting, habitat degradation, insecure tenure, weak market integration, loss of indigenous knowledge, gender inequities, and declining youth engagement. Across various contexts, governance arrangements that promote community participation, inclusiveness, and equitable benefit-sharing are more frequently associated with improved sustainability outcomes and are more influential than product characteristics or ecological conditions alone. Cross-analysis further indicates that community-based and hybrid co-management systems were more frequently associated with positive conservation and sustainability outcomes compared to centralized governance models. Advancing sustainable NTFP management therefore requires strengthened governance systems, improved data on harvest thresholds and long-term ecological impacts, and greater integration of NTFPs into broader sustainability and development strategies. This review provides an evidence base to inform policy and support context-specific approaches that enhance resilience while advancing conservation, sustainability, and poverty reduction goals.
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BibTeX
@article{siyum2026systematic,
title = {{A systematic review of governance and management arrangements of non-timber forest products for conservation, sustainability, and livelihood outcomes}},
author = {Zenebe Girmay Siyum and Jeremy Woods and Laila Kasuri and Enas Alwagait and Alexandra Collins},
journal = {Ecosystems and People},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1080/26395916.2026.2753987},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2026.2753987},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A systematic review of governance and management arrangements of non-timber forest products for conservation, sustainability, and livelihood outcomes
AU - Zenebe Girmay Siyum
AU - Jeremy Woods
AU - Laila Kasuri
AU - Enas Alwagait
AU - Alexandra Collins
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/04
JO - Ecosystems and People
DO - 10.1080/26395916.2026.2753987
UR - https://doi.org/10.1080/26395916.2026.2753987
AB - Despite their well-recognized ecological and socio-economic importance, the sustainability of non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvesting and management remains uncertain under current policy and governance frameworks. Existing management approaches are often fragmented or project-based rather than strategically integrated within sectoral policies. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 248 studies (1996–2024) to assess the ecological implications of NTFP extraction, identify reported drivers and governance bottlenecks associated with sustainability challenges, and compare governance models across NTFP systems. Most studies reported either positive conservation outcomes (71%) or potential for sustainable NTFP use (81%), with NTFPs supporting income diversification, subsistence, and socio-ecological resilience. However, 15% of reviewed studies document unsustainable practices linked to recurring challenges, including overharvesting, habitat degradation, insecure tenure, weak market integration, loss of indigenous knowledge, gender inequities, and declining youth engagement. Across various contexts, governance arrangements that promote community participation, inclusiveness, and equitable benefit-sharing are more frequently associated with improved sustainability outcomes and are more influential than product characteristics or ecological conditions alone. Cross-analysis further indicates that community-based and hybrid co-management systems were more frequently associated with positive conservation and sustainability outcomes compared to centralized governance models. Advancing sustainable NTFP management therefore requires strengthened governance systems, improved data on harvest thresholds and long-term ecological impacts, and greater integration of NTFPs into broader sustainability and development strategies. This review provides an evidence base to inform policy and support context-specific approaches that enhance resilience while advancing conservation, sustainability, and poverty reduction goals.
SN - 2639-5916
SN - 2639-5908
ER -