Non-timber forest products, or special forest products, include foods such as plants, wild edible mushrooms, fruits and nuts; medicinal plants and fungi; floral greenery and horticultural stock; fiber, oil resins, and other chemical extracts from plants, lichens, and fungi; as well as fuelwood and small diameter wood used for poles, posts, and carvings.

Special forest products are a vital part of local and regional economies in the Pacific Northwest and many products hold significant cultural value which represents a long history of ecological knowledge and local use.

Personal and Commercial Use permits are required in order to gather many special forest products. Permits may require a fee payment and must be obtained from Forest Service offices. Availability may vary by season and district office. 

To learn what permits are required and available, please visit the specific national forest web page.

Forest Product Permit Types

Check with each individual forest for information on how & where to obtain your personal or commercial use permit. Some permits are available online, or from local vendors as well as forest district offices.

• Please visit our Special Forest Products Forest Gateway page to find the nearest forest offering special forest products near you.