Description
The promoter aims at protecting and developing the Lima Valley forest for the economic, social and ecological sustainability of a region where the forest has a great heritage, tourism, hunting and fishing value. 2,000 adherent owners are currently encompassed, the majority of which are elderly, with low level of education and poor access to information and capital. The project intends to better qualify managers and technicians in good governance regarding financial practices and economic sustainability, as well as to facilitate access to information on forest production to owners and to develop a network for the cooperation between owners. It will, specifically, showcase best practices in the production, processing and marketing of non-timber forest products and ways to increase forest productivity and profitability of owners. Also, it will raise awareness on the subject of tolerance and intercultural understanding among schoolchildren in the region.
Summary of project results
Forestry is an important economic activity in large areas of Portugal, and information on good practices regarding specific economic activities in the forest is essential in order to foster sustainable development in these areas. This project provided training sessions on these matters, attended by 284 people, more than twice the set target. The teaching materials required for this service were created as well. Implemented by the Lima Valley forestry association in northern Portugal, it targeted local landowners as well as the promoter’s own leadership and staff. The skills gained by the promoter will enable it to be more effective in the future, while landowners benefitted greatly from the skills they acquired and the new contacts they established over the course of the project. Another component consisted of 8 awareness-raising actions carried out in local schools, focusing on tolerance and intercultural understanding, as well as the protection of the environment.
Summary of bilateral results