Trade-off between NTFP harvesting and tourism income in a protected area: Evidence from the Yading Biosphere Reserve, China

• NTFPs contribute 30% of household income in Yading Biosphere Reserve. • Recreational income (35.3%) shows a trade-off with NTFP harvesting. • Elevation and tourism income are main determinants of NTFP income. • Landholdings and male labor affect T. matsutake income. • Education predicts O. sinensis income. Protected areas contribute to poverty alleviation through the provision of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), but relatively few studies have researched the recreational context and the socio-ecological interactions that influence household NTFPs income. Using household surveys in the Yading biosphere reserve (2020-2022), our study investigated factors affecting income of main NTFPs including caterpillar fungus ( Ophiocordyceps sinensis ) and matsutake mushroom ( Tricholoma matsutake ). The generalized linear mixed model is used to explain the difference of NTFPs utilization patterns among households. The finding indicates that NTFPs account for 30.0% of household income in the protected area, comparing to tourism income (35.3%). A significant trade-off relationship was found between NTFPs harvesting and tourism income. Meanwhile, harvesting activities serve as an approach for asset accumulation to enable a transition to higher-value livelihoods. Elevation and tourism income emerged as the primary determinants of overall NTFP income. In addition, household landholdings and the number of males were distinctly associated with income from T. matsutake , whereas the educational attainment of household labor was a key predictor of income from O. sinensis . This research provides an empirical analysis of the factors that affect NTFP incomes, enabling the potential role of wild production in supporting sustainable livelihoods to be explored. Our findings have important implications for understanding the alpine protected area household livelihoods and designing conservation interventions that affect access to and use of wild natural resources.