Fern gathering on the San Bernardino National Forest: Cultural versus commercial values among Korean and Japanese participants

Most attention to special forest products (SFPs), both in the literature an d in management practice, has focused on economic aspects of gathering acti vities. The majority of bracken fern gatherers on the Arrowhead Ranger Dist rict are of Japanese and Korean backgrounds, and they pick ferns not for co mmercial purposes, but as a recreational. social, and outdoor activity. The se findings indicate that economically and commercially based assumptions a re sometimes inappropriate for managing SFP gathering activities.