Does Production and Trade in Non-Timber Forest Products Contribute to Sustainable Forest Economy Development? Evidence from the Bamboo Industry in Nanping, China

Finding a balanced approach to advancing sustainable forestry development holds vital theoretical and practical significance across the globe. Compared with timber production, non-timber forest products (NTFPs) carry positive externalities, and their environmentally friendly, economically viable, and socially beneficial attributes make them key breakthrough points for sustainable forestry progress. Taking bamboo, a typical NTFP, as an example, this study combines theoretical analysis and a case study in Nanping city to explore how the bamboo industry in Southeast China promotes local forestry sustainability. The case study results revealed that, firstly, the bamboo industry reduces long-term forest resource consumption through its substitution effect on timber products, alleviating the “growth drag” of the forest economy; secondly, international market demand for eco-friendly bamboo products drives the adoption of sustainable forest management practices in the industry, further mitigating “growth drag”; thirdly, the carbon sink value of bamboo resources and the formation of an industrial ecosphere help maintain optimal forest resource utilization; fourthly, the industry’s employment expansion, coupled with improved production efficiency via sustainable technologies, expands its scale while easing resource consumption pressure. For developing countries, utilizing demand growth to stimulate infrastructure improvements and sustainable management application could achieve sustained growth balancing forestry sustainability and poverty alleviation.