A webinar on collaborative networks of resin as a raw material for the bioeconomy, organised by the INCREDIBLE project, will be held on 16 December from 15:00 to 17:30.
Natural resin obtained from Negral pine forests in Southwest Europe is a high quality, sustainable and renewable non-wood forest product for cosmetic uses and in the food and chemical industries.
Its production is an important source of rural employment in the pine forest regions, as well as an annual income for the forest owner that supplements the sale of wood. However, the profession of resin production is a tough one, and opportunities for improvement and innovation need to be developed and exploited.
Experiences with new harvesting techniques, their possible better compatibility with sawtimber production, as well as the study of the influence of genetic, climatic and site factors require long-term controlled resin extraction trials replicated in the territory, using common protocols and common data exchange or analysis.
The aim is also to improve links between resin-producing territories and their stakeholders. The geographical and labour isolation of the individual self-employed resin producer and the local forest owner can be overcome in today's hyper-connected world through communication channels and networks that link them with each other and between territories. A better flow of information on production, productivity and prices should contribute to greater transparency in the value chain through a resin observatory.
Objectives
The objective of this webinar is to discuss what information can be collected from the resin sector in a simple, reliable and harmonisable way to feed this sectoral observatory. At the same time, it aims to identify the possible sources of information, the procedures for its collection and those responsible for processing, harmonising and publishing it.
It is also planned to set up a group of experts to work together on a common protocol for integrating data on resin activity and production through an information system into the Spanish and Portuguese national forest inventories or forest statistics, so that they can serve as a useful forestry management and planning tool for the sector.
The conference will provide information and a space for reflection and discussion on the feasibility of either model of data collection.
Finally, two ongoing initiatives for the structuring of the sector will be presented at the conference: the European Resin Territories Network (RETR) and the ResinLab testing network, which can create synergies with the observatory or information system.
