Portugal, Italy, Spain and Tunisia, next countries to host the Scoping Seminars of INCREDIBLE iNets

Forest owners and managers, entrepreneurs, researches, and policy makers from Mediterranean countries will focus next weeks on Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs), brought together by the INCREDIBLE project. This thematic network, funded through the Horizon 2020 framework programme under grant agreement Nº 774632, is creating five innovation networks (iNets) to share and exchange knowledge and expertise on NWFPs and promote cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation to highlight the value and potential of NWFPs in the region.

The iNet of Resins has had its Scoping Seminar in May, working hand-to-hand with stakeholders from Portugal, France and Spain.  In June the Scoping Seminars will be held for:

• iNet of Nuts & Berries: 14^th-15^th June (Portugal). Coordinator: Sven Mutke
• iNet of Wild Mushrooms & Truffles: 19^th-20^th June (Spain). Coordinator: José A. Bonet
• iNet of Cork: 20^th-21^th June (Italy). Coordinator: Nuno Calado
• iNet of Aromatic & Medicinal plants: 27^th-28^th June (Tunisia). Contact: Ibtissem Taghouti  

Each iNet aims to gather good practices (both practical and science-based) related to production, collection, processing and trade channels of respective NWFPs. Those interested in attending any of these Scoping Seminars and further information can write an email to events@incredibleforest.net. Joining these networks is the best way to establish priorities for each sector related to all aspects of the value chain, focussing on the most urgent needs and challenges for the production, supply and sustainability of NWFPs.

Some of those issues were already addressed on the iNet of Resins, carried out on 8^th and 9^th May in Valladolid (Spain). It coincided as by-event with the 1^st SouthWest Europe Forest Bioeconomy Forum, in which the INCREDIBLE project was presented to policy makers, researchers, forestry owners associations, technological innovation and research companies and universities.

“We must put in value the ecosystem services and look for new business models and new ways to connect what forest offers with the forest economy” noted the Head of Office of  EFIMED, Ignacio Martínez de Arano, at the INCREDIBLE presentation. In this sense Martínez de Arano underlined “the need to value the NWFP to generate wealth and well-being in both rural and urban society”.