Determinants of engagement in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) business activities: A study on worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains, northeastern China

- Worker households in national forest areas in China are different from urban worker families and farmer households.
- Behavioral characteristics and determinants of NTFPs business activities of worker households were analyzed at the same time.
- Worker households in national forest areas in China primarily engaged in NTFPs collection activities.
- More worker households engaged in NTFPs businesses in forest areas of Xiaoxinganling Mountains than Daxinganling Mountains.
- Worker household behavior in NTFPs businesses was not affected by household head or household manpower characteristics.

This study used data of 128 worker households that possessed woodland resources and owned by seven forestry bureaus (counties) belonging to the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains to analyze the behavioral characteristics of worker households that engaged in non-timber forest products (NTFPs) business activities. A logistic regression model was utilized to analyze factors that influenced worker households to engage in NTFPs business activities. The study found the following: NTFPs collection activities had become the primary NTFPs business activity engaged in by the worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains because of the relatively small investment needed as well as fewer production and operating risks. The engagement of worker households in the forest areas of Daxinganling and Xiaoxinganling Mountains in NTFPs business activities was still in a preliminary stage. Whether or not worker households engaged in NTFPs business activities was not affected by household head or household manpower characteristics; rather, worker households were more willing to engage in NTFPs business activities when the households had bank deposits, homes were close to the woodlands, the woodlands had good quality soil, and the households received social services.