Forest producers may submit their application process until the end of June.
Cork forest owners and stewards having charge of cork forests situated in Portugal are invited to compete for a "Sustainability of Cork Oak and Associated Biodiversity" award launched by CORTICEIRA AMORIM. The aim of this award is basically to contribute to promote and reward excellence in cork oak sustainable management practices and associated biodiversity. Applications must be submitted by June 30, 2009.
The Earth Day is commemorated by CORTICEIRA AMORIM with the launch of this award, which was created following a memorandum signed among CORTICEIRA AMORIM, AFN (Portuguese Forest Authority), ICNB (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Institute), QUERCUS (Portuguese Nature Conservation Association) and WWF (World Wild Fund for Nature) in the context of a Business & Biodiversity initiative. Among the goals targeted by this initiative is "to advertise and reward the best cork oak management and enhancement practices and associated biodiversity". In the pursuit of this goal and in addition to the award now launched, a special mention is due to the technical counselling service launched in 2008, which service has been in high demand by forest stewards.
This technical counselling service entirely funded by CORTICEIRA AMORIM was in great demand by many forest owners and stewards. Application processes in respect of more than 20 cork farms - that is, 5437 ha of cork oak forest - were submitted throughout 2008. CORTICEIRA AMORIM met its goals and objectives for this project, in particular its potential contribution to a sustainable management of a significant area of cork oak forest.
The award now launched is the result of an original move designed to promote sustainable management of cork forest - one of the few truly sustainable ecosystems that enables to carry on a business activity that both preserves and fosters biodiversity.
Schedule of the different competition phases:
Up to the end of June: Submission of application processe
Up to the end of July: Announcement of the selected applicants and visit planning
Up to the end of September: Visit to the selected applicants and selection of the winner.
The applicant showing the best sustainable forest management practices will be awarded a money prize in the net amount of EUR 7,000.00.
All applications must be made in writing by using the application form. The application must be e-mailed or sent by post.
