Silva Mediterranea

Over 90 years of Mediterranean forest management

INCREDIBLE project launches new networks on non-wood forest products for the Mediterranean to boost innovation and knowledge transfer

Forest owners and managers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers from Mediterranean countries have the opportunity to focus on innovations for Non-Wood Forest Products (NWFPs) over the next two years through the INCREDIBLE project (‘Innovation Networks of Cork, Resins and Edibles in the Mediterranean basin’). Funded through the Horizon 2020 framework programme, INCREDIBLE has launched five innovation networks (iNets) to exchange knowledge and expertise on NWFPs and promote cross-sectoral collaboration to highlight the value and potential of NWFPs in the region.

Each iNet aims to gather and share best practices (both practical and science-based) related to production, collection, processing, and trade channels of five main groups of NWFPs, constituting innovation networks on natural resins; wild nuts & berries; cork; wild mushrooms & truffles and aromatic & medicinal plants. At the beginning of the summer, scoping seminars for each iNet established priorities for each sector related to all aspects of the value chain and focusing on the most urgent needs and challenges for the production, supply, and sustainability of NWFPs.

For the remainder of this year, INCREDIBLE will organize further sectoral meetings such as interregional workshops (devoted to specific innovation issues relevant to the Mediterranean region); science-to-practice events (to foster knowledge flow and collect feedback), and cross-cutting seminars (on innovative business models, application of ICT and access to finance and market intelligence, among other topics). These events will be progressively announced on the project website: www.incredibleforest.net.

INCREDIBLE will also launch Open Innovation Challenges (to mobilize ideas and help solve specific problems) and will produce policy recommendations for better regulation of NWFPs at regional, national and EU levels, that will be discussed in an international Policy Forum

Connecting knowledge, practice and connecting people

INCREDIBLE brings together relevant actors with complementary knowledge, expertise, and experiences to identify relevant challenges and needs in each NWFP value chain for improving profitability and sustainability.

The project consortium, coordinated by the European Forest Institute, is made up of universities, research centers and professional organizations (owners & managers): 13 entities from 8 countries contribute their know-how in various aspects related to NWFPs to foster collaboration among different groups of stakeholders, developing innovative business models and enhancing the expertise of rural regions towards the development of inclusive economic strategies.

Being part of INCREDIBLE

INCREDIBLE activities are open to anyone interested; however, becoming an iNet member offers additional opportunities to define project activities and outcomes. Those interested in sharing and providing knowledge on specific iNets, receiving timely information on the project’s development and helping shape project outcomes, can become an iNet member by contacting the relevant coordinator or via the project website.