Partnership for an exchange of best practices on mastic tree fixed oil, an emblematic non-timber forest product in the Mediterranean. Erasmus Project

Project Title

Partnership for an exchange of best practices on mastic tree fixed oil, an emblematic non-timber forest product in the Mediterranean.

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2020

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Regional dimension and cooperation; Rural development and urbanisation; Environment and climate change

Project Summary

43% of the EU surface is covered by forests and wooded areas. These surfaces constitute a set of fragile ecosystems that contribute to the fight against global warming. When managed sustainably, they are a major source of wealth and provide people with many services. Wood is the forest product that comes to mind spontaneously, but forests provide a whole variety of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), such as cork, resins, and edible products such as nuts, mushrooms and truffles.
These NTFPs play an important role in improving the livelihoods of people living near forests who are involved in their harvesting, processing and trade.
The “MEDLENTISK” project wishes to promote the exchange of good practices around the Mediterranean on the little-known lentisk tree and its fixed oil. It is still produced in a traditional way, which influences the yield and quality of the extracted product. The composition and therapeutic virtues of this oil have also been little studied, even though this shrub is found throughout the Mediterranean area and seems to have significant qualities.

In order to do so, 6 partners from the South, East and North of the Mediterranean Sea have come together to improve interest and access to scientific and practical knowledge on lentisk tree’s fixed oil.
The partners will meet 3 times to increase their level of knowledge on mastic tree, to exchange good practices and challenges, and to discuss the problems and difficulties of this sector.
Best practices will be identified, their synthesis and translation will then be summarized in easy-to-understand formats for good dissemination to all stakeholders.
The results of the first exchanges will be shared during a side event during the 7th Mediterranean Forest Week to be held in Tunisia, in Sousse, from 22 to 26 March 2021.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 85025 Eur

Project Coordinator

Association Internationale Forets Mediterraneennes & Country: FR

Project Partners

• Forêt Modèle de Provence
• Bursa Teknik Universitesi
• MEDITERRANEAN AGRONOMIC INSTITUTE OF CHANIA
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CAGLIARI
• Institut National de Recherches en génie Rural Eaux et Forets