Welcome to Atlantic Canada and Maine's first-ever directory to non-timber forest product (NTFP) businesses and organizations! NTFPs are generally defined as forest plant, tree and mushroom resources other than timber. They include unprocessed resources like fiddleheads and fir pitch as well as value-added products like bent willow furniture and blueberry jam, and finally, they also include ecotourism opportunities like bird-watching tours.

NTFPs have been picked and produced by Aboriginals long before the arrival of European settlers to North America. Through the years, NTFPs have provided economical, cultural and spiritual benefits to producers and consumers alike.

“Buying locally” is a growing trend, and therefore it makes sense to not only be supportive of your neighbourhood small businesses, but also to buy products that are produced mere kilometres away instead of whole continents away. The purpose of this directory is to showcase the multitude of NTFPs being produced in our own backyards, be they decorative, edible, health-promoting or other. We also want to encourage linkages between growers and producers who may be able to share resources and expertise.