It wasn't long ago that many people viewed a forest as a factory that simply churned out a certain number of timber board feet per year. It's still possible to view forests as factories, but nowadays, they're also producing other valuable commodities such as exotic mushrooms, medicinal herbs, not to mention helping clean the air and water. Kristian foden-vencil reports on how the U.S. Forest service is trying to balance traditional timber production with these new forest products. Shelly Vandyke pulls one of many large glass jars off a shelf in her Portland flower and herb store and unscrews the lid. Vandyke is selling it for 268 dollars a pound.
Golden seal is one of the most expensive herbs on the plant because it is very difficult to grow.
That means someone has to go out into the forest at a specific time of the year, to a certain altitude and pick the herb in its natural habitat. Some economists are now saying what environmentalists have been saying for years that because of the vast variety of products which come from unspoiled habitats, there's more economic value to a standing forests than a clear cut. Independent economist, karyn markowitz says all these products from clean water to mushrooms should be considered by the u.s. Forest service before it decides to cut. That's big money.