The forest stands and the cork production are the two factors that most influence the cork value chain, a NWFP which has its origin in a multifunctional ecosystem that provides many products and services, but environmental and social changes now threaten cork oak forests. To mitigate these threats, it is necessary to address incoming challenges through innovation, knowledge but also improved profitability to sustain management.

There is an urgent need for new products, market segments and sources of revenue to take greater advantage of an NWFP whose market is now primarily focused on the manufacture of bottle stoppers, that accounts for almost 70% of the total value of the cork market.