StarTree

New knowledge and tools for sustainable rural development and a more competitive bioeconomy in Europe

2017-05-04T12:10:42+02:00

Making woodlands pay

2016-11-21T10:25:57+01:00

Final Valladolid stakeholder meeting

2016-11-21T09:04:40+01:00

There were represents of Pinaster company which is a cooperative of young people who exploit the forest of Pinus pinaster for the production of resin. Also they are attending the five partner members of the cooperative "Del Monte de Tabuyo" transforming fungi and raspberry, among other local products and mushroom pickers in Public Utility Forest property of the neighborhood of Tabuyo del Monte, and managers of public forests, too.

They were explained the latest results of Star Tree project with an explanation of the situation of non-wood forest products (NWFP) in the field of the European Union.

Within the Project STAR TREE and WP1 they were explained the action research "learning by doing" SME action related to improving business processes focused on the topics discussed in the WP 3-5 business innovation.

The research has served to demonstrate the practical importance of Project STAR TREE convincingly for a broad stakeholder groups and project beneficiaries. IRMA S.L function is developing an application for iPhone and Android for mushroom pickers and associated activities.

The MYKO-Fungi Star-tree application aims to promote sustainable harvesting of edible mushrooms in the woods and thickets use more as a Non Wood Forest Products (NWFP). Mycological use is compatible with other forest uses and in any case, the ownership of a collection permit this activity priority over other uses that coexist. The mycological resources reaches great importance in the region of Castilla y León (provinces of León, Zamora, Avila, Burgos, Segovia, Soria and Salamanca) with the types of reserves: neighborhood, sporadic or tourist, commercial and research.

Such APP has been made with a double objective: useful tool for forest managers, homeowners associations, government agencies, forest owners and secondly, to promote mycotourism, ie, the sale of permits for tourists or for business purposes companies or intermediaries; importance in the region:

a) In nature by the relationship with ecosystems.

b) In the economy by the number of collectors and businesses.

c) In society in general by the mycotourism.

d)In culture by the proliferation of conferences, courses, seminars, interpretation centers, etc.

The research has involved extensive knowledge of forest resources related with fungi to face any serious process or ordenation and grtounded for MYKO-Fungi StarTree application. It has taken into account the literature, surveys, inventories of production and the harvesting pressure in forest.

Surveys have been used to average estimates by province, fungal species, collector types (commercial, non-commercial neighborhood, sporadic, tourism ...); gatherer percentage of population, kg per visit, the collector profile .... Similarly, the quality of the collection, the destination of the sale, paid prices by the various types of collectors,... And finally, for the regulation of the resource it has been taken into account: reviews of collectors, willingness to pay for a collection permit, respect for good practice.

Surveys to hostelry have generated data as the percentage of customers or micoturistas, percentage of restaurants that use fungi and with processing companies the approximate quantities consumed, origin, points of sale, qualities and prices ...

The session concluded with a summary of the results of the Project Tree Star, with various work packages and the explanation of the content of the final conference to be held in Barcelona on 14th and 15th October. A synthesis adapted to the stakeholders of Castile and Leon that participated in the project was made.

Reunión final de los stakeholders de la provincia de Valladolid

2016-11-21T09:27:44+01:00

Asistieron representantes de la empresa Pinaster que es una cooperativa de jóvenes que aprovechan la masa forestal de Pinus pinaster para la producción de resina. También asistieron las cinco socias miembros de la cooperativa "Del Monte de Tabuyo" que transforman hongos y frambuesa, entre otros productos autóctonos y recolectores de setas en los Montes de Utilidad Pública propiedad de la Junta Vecinal de Tabuyo del Monte y por último, gestores de los bosques públicos.

Se les explicaron los últimos resultados del proyecto Star Tree con una explicación de la situación de los productos forestales no maderable (PFNM) en el ámbito de la Unión Europea.

Dentro del Proyecto STAR TREE y del WP1 se explicó la action research "aprender haciendo" para PYMEs relacionado con acción de mejora de la empresa en procesos de innovación empresariales enfocados a los temas descritos en los WP 3-5.

La investigación ha servido para demostrar la importancia práctica del Proyecto STAR TREE de una manera convincente para una amplio grupos de stakeholder y de beneficiarios del proyecto. La función de IRMA S. L. es el desarrollo de una aplicación para iPhone y Android para los recogedores de setas y actividades asociadas.

La aplicación MYKO-Fungi Star-tree pretende favorecer la recolección sostenible de hongos comestibles en los bosques y matorrales como un aprovechamiento más de Producto Forestal No Maderable (PFNM). El aprovechamiento micológico es compatible con el resto de aprovechamientos forestales y en ningún caso, la titularidad de un permiso de recolección prioriza esta actividad frente a otros aprovechamientos que coexistan. El recurso micológico alcanza una gran importancia en la región de Castilla y León (provincias de León, Zamora, Ávila, Burgos, Segovia, Soria y Salamanca) con los tipos de cotos: vecinales, turísticos o esporádicos, comerciales y de investigación. Dicha APP se ha realizado con un doble objetivo: herramienta útil para los gestores forestales, asociaciones de propietarios, organismos públicos propietarios de montes y en segundo lugar, para favorecer el micoturismo, es decir, la venta de permisos para turistas o para fines comerciales a empresas o intermediarios; importancia en la región:

a) En la Naturaleza por la relación directa con los ecosistemas.

b) En la economía por el número de recolectores y empresas

c) En la sociedad en general por el micoturismo

d) Y en la cultura por la proliferación de jornadas, cursos, seminarios, centros de interpretación, etc.

La investigación ha supuesto un amplio conocimiento de los recursos forestales relacionados con los hongos para afrontar cualquier proceso de ordenación serio y fundamentado para la aplicación MYKO-Fungi StarTree. Se ha tenido en cuenta la bibliografía, las encuestas realizadas, los inventarios de la producción y la presión recolectora de los montes.

Las encuestas realizadas se han utilizado para las estimaciones medias por provincia, especie fúngica, tipo de recolector (comercial, no comercial, vecinal, esporádico, turístico...); porcentaje de población recolectora, kg por visita, perfil del recolector,.... Igualmente, la calidad de la recolección, el destino de la venta, precios pagados por los distintos tipos de recolectores,.... Y por último, para la regulación del recurso se ha tenido en cuenta: opiniones de los recolectores, disposición a pagar por un permiso de recolección, respeto a las buenas prácticas.

Las encuestas a la hostelería y restauración han generado datos como el porcentaje de clientes o micoturistas, porcentaje de restaurantes que utilizan hongos y con las empresas procesadoras cantidades aproximadas consumidas, procedencia, puntos de compraventa, calidades y precios...

La sesión concluyó con un resumen de los resultados del Proyecto Star Tree, de los distintos paquetes de trabajo y con la explicación del contenido de la conferencia final a celebrar en Barcelona los días 14 y 15 de octubre. Se realizó una síntesis adaptada a los stakeholder de Castilla y León que han participado en el proyecto.

Final meeting Šumadija and Western Serbia

2016-10-31T13:58:41+01:00

The agenda of the meeting consisted out of presentation and discussion on the results of the StarTree project: household survey, Delphi survey, IDCSs (for Serbia), international prices of NWFPs. In addition, the following StarTree deliverables were also presented and discussed: StarTree Wiki, Innovation Generator, Marketing of NWFPs course materials.

The meeting started with short overview of the StarTree project: "From where we started and what was our goal?". After each presentation, the group discussed the relevant topic, as follows:

1) the relevance of households survey;

2) the supply chain actors and activities;

3) the behaviour of collectors and reasons why there is lack of collectors;

4) StarTree deliverables (wiki, innovation generator, etc.) and how they can be further disseminated.

At the end, instead of conclusions, the general discussion was held, with the following topics:

1) the usefulness of information gathered within the project for their work;

2) lessons learned and fulfillness of their expectations from the StarTree project.

Participants of the meeting agreed that the results of the StarTree project are useful. They are willing to use the lessons learned in their everyday job. As in the previous meetings, they expressed the needs for further research in this area. From their point of view, very important was the knowledge transfer from other regions. They also expressed the need for disseminating StarTree reports, publications, brochures, etc. within the local stakeholders (local population, government agencies, municipalities, other SMEs (wider stakeholders group) and willingness to help in these activities. They repeated the message from the previous meetings, that, despite slightly better cooperation between private and public sector, there is a continuing need to create a single representative of the private sector (in the form of association, branch within the Chamber of commerce, etc.). The common view of participants is that the best outcome of the project would be the creation of a core group for national NWFPs association.

The general message of the meeting was that the members of Regional Stakeholder Group were glad to participate, as this was unique opportunity, to gather representatives of different institutions and organisations, from the key sectors involved in NWFPs business, and make fruitful discussions. For sure, NWFPs sector is still under-developed, but it has a lot of potentials. The systematic approach in planning of the further development is needed. Such approach requires engagement of private sector, local and national government, research institutions, NGOs (environment and private forest owners), and chamber. There is space for more research in this area, but they are satisfied with the project results, as this was one of the first research in this field, with such a broad topics.

Bearing in mind this success, and their need for establishment of an association, they suggested further activities in this field, such as looking for different national and international calls for grants that would support the foundation of such association. The association should be maintained by independent individuals, which goal would only be the development of NWFPs sector in Serbia, and not individual, subjective interests of certain company.

Treći sastanak Regionalne grupe zainteresovanih strana

2016-10-31T13:58:41+01:00

Na trećem sastanku Regionalne grupe zainteresovanih strana (RGZS), u regionu Šumadije i Zapadne Srbije, učestvovali su predstavnici 8 institucija i organizacija, iz privatnog i javnog sektora, koje su uključene u poslove vezane za nedrvne šumske proizvode (NDŠP). Finalni sastanak u okviru StarTree projekta, čija je tema bila „Saradnja javnog i privatnog (MSP) sektora u oblasti nedrvnih šumskih proizvoda" održan je 28. septembra 2016. godine u Beogradu.

Na programu sastanka u regionu Šumadije i Zapadne Srbije bila je prezentacija i diskusija o:

- rezultatima istraživanja sa domaćinstvima u Srbiji, u vezi sa korišćenjem i sakupljanjem nedrvnih šumskih proizvoda (NDŠP),

- analizi stavova ključnih učesnika u lancu snabdevanja gljivama (Delfi studija):

- rezultatima dubinskih studija slučaja:

1) analiza saradnje između preduzeća (analiza društvenih mreža);

2) analiza stavova vlasnika privatnih šuma, sakupljača i predstavnika javne adminsitracije, o problemima u vezi sa sakupljanjem NDŠP (studija slučaja sakupljanja borovnice u NP Kopaonik);

3) analiza stavova eksperata o predloženim rešenjima za unapređenje institucionalnih i zakonodavnih okvira, kojima se reguliše poslovanje preduzeća u sektoru NDŠP u Srbiji;

- međunarodna trgovina NDŠP (poređenje cena i lanac stvaranja vrednosti)

- StarTree proizvodi: Wiki, generator inovacija, materijal za kurs o marketingu NDŠP, za vlasnike privatnih šuma i dr. zainteresovane strane.

Sastanak je započeo kratkim pregledom StarTree projekta: „odakle smo počeli i šta nam je bio plan?". Nakon svake od prezentacija, diskutovalo se o prikazanim rezultatima, odnosno:

1) o relevantnosti podataka istraživanja sa lokalnim stanovništvom;

2) učesnicima i aktivnostima u okviru lanca snabdevanja NDŠP;

3) ponašanju sakupljača, prilikom boravka u šumi i razlozima zašto nema dovoljno sakupljača i kako motivisati stanovništvo da se bavi ovom delatnošću;

4) StarTree proizvodima i kako se može izvršiti dalja diseminacija.

Na kraju, umesto zaključaka, održana je generalna diskusija, a članovi RGZS su izneli svoje utiske o projektu, u smislu:

1) korisnosti i upotrebnoj vrednosti informacija i podataka prikupljenih tokom projekta;

2) saznanja do kojih došli i ispunjenost očekivanja od StarTree projekta.

Učesnici sastanka su bili saglasni da su rezultati StarTree projekta korisni. Takođe, zainteresovani su da saznanja do kojih se došlo tokom projekta, primene u svakodnevnom poslu. Kao i na prethodnim sastancima, izrazili su potrebu za daljim istraživanjima u ovoj oblasti. Pored toga, zaključeno je da je potrebno izvršiti diseminaciju StarTree materijala (izveštaji, brošure, posteri i sl.) među lokalnim zainteresovanim stranama (lokalno stanovništvo, vladine agencije, opštine, druga mala i srednja preduzeća u ovoj oblasti), a spremni su i da pomognu u ovim aktivnostima. Ponovljena je poruka sa prethodnih sastanaka, da uprkos delimično unapređenoj saradnji između javnog i privatnog sektora, postoji stalna potreba za kreiranjem jedinstvenog predstavnika privatnog sektora (u formi udruženja, aoscijacije, sekcije u okviru Privredne komora i sl.). Zajednički stav učesnika sastanka je da bi najbolji proizvod projekta u Srbiji bilo formiranje centralne grupe za nacionalno udruženje za NDŠP.

Opšta poruka sa sastanka je da su članovi RGZS zadovoljni što su učestvovali, s obzirom da je ovo bila jedinstve prilika da se okupe predstavnici različitih institucija i organizacija, iz ključnih sektora, koji na direktan i indirektan način utiču na poslovanje preduzeća za nabavku, preradu i plasman NDŠP. Svakako, NDŠP sektor još uvek nije, u dovoljnoj meri, razvijen, ali ima mnogo potencijala. Ipak, za planiranje daljeg razvoja, neophodan je sistematski pristup, koji zahteva učešće privatnog sektora, lokalnih i nacionalnih vlasti, istraživačkih institucija, nevladinih organizacija (ekoloških i vlasnika privatnih šuma), kao i privrednih komora. U svakom slučaju, postoji potreba za daljim istraživanjima u ovoj oblasti, ali su članovi RGZS zadovoljni rezultatima projekta, jer je ovo bilo jedno od prvih, sveobuhvatnih istraživanja u ovoj oblasti u Srbiji.

Imajući u vidu ovaj uspeh, kao i potrebu za osnivanjem udruženja, učesnici sastanka su predloćili dalje angažovanje u ovoj oblasti, pre sve u smislu pronalaska odgovarajućih nacionalnih i međunarodnih konkursa, kojima bi se moglo finansijski podržati osnivanje udruženja. Učesnici sastanka naglašavaju da bi aktivnosti udruženja, kao i samo rukovođenje, trebalo da obavljaju nezavisni pojedinci, kojima će jedini interes biti razvoj NDŠP sektora u Srbiji, a ne individualni i subjektivni interesi pojedinih preduzeća.

Photos from the Conference: Wild Forest Products in Europe

2016-10-14T12:23:00+02:00

Fruits of our Forests

2016-10-13T14:31:24+02:00

The infographic gives a glimpse of the findings and recommendations generated by the project over the last four years. StarTree Results and Outputs pages can tell you a lot more about what has been going on.

Final meeting North Karelia

2016-10-11T23:14:52+02:00

The main topics at the meeting were the results of the project and future plans. The results were presented by Mikko Kurttila, Jari Miina and Veera Tahvanainen, one work package at the time.

After the presentations the ideas and usefulness of the results were discussed. Especially the producing of wild forest products gained a lot of attention. It was discussed that concentrating on the wild forest products that cannot be collected by the everyman's rights would be more attractive for the forest owner; hence more research could be useful at that area.

Secondly the development of the sector was discussed and the stakeholder group was happy, that the sector has gradually been formally recognized (Sector Report of Business Sector Services for natural products, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment of Finland). However there are still many things to do and develop. Trends and new enterprises are drawing attention towards this sector, which is a positive thing.

At the end of the meeting expectations of stakeholders from the first RSG meeting were reflected with the results of the project. Most expectations were answered at least to some extent. The atmosphere at the stakeholder group was positive and the results of the project were considered useful. And most importantly, the results form a good baseline for new activities, from which some have already started!

Innovation Generator now online!

2016-10-10T20:27:10+02:00

The IG is an online resource for innovations and inspiring stories from researchers, regional developers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders across Europe. Here you can also access the innovation case database for the forest-based sector in Europe, hosted by University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna.

The IG content has been compiled during the StarTree project with the objective to inspire new ideas and spread innovative concepts. Work is still in progress to share the full breadth of lessons learned over the course of the project. The complete product will be finalised by the end of October 2016.

Just visit the Innovation Generator and get inspired!