The underlying principle for cooperation at the heart of the RECOFORME project is based on the fact that extensive scientific, technical and practical knowledge and understanding is most often to be found in the field in the areas where projects are effectively under way and that such knowledge can be shared with other groups confronted with identical problems elsewhere.

Previous to now this type of exchange has indeed occurred but in too haphazard and sporadic a manner to enable notable results to appear or for their capitalisation.

At certain locations forming sites of a wide range of specific forestry projects, exchanges of experience and results (both the successes and failures) have been programmed, along with the capitalisation of new understanding and know-how which is thus passed onwards to the people most involved in managing the areas which concern us here.

In this way, each project on each pilot site will include a series of measures for communication which can be classified as follows:

• Bi-or multilateral communication between the network of pilot sites.
• Capitalisation of knowledge and know-how and effective, wideranging communication throughout the whole network.
• Dissemination beyond the network, especially to the general public.
• These types of communication are obviously destined in the first place for those taking part in the projects, along with the other partners, but they should progressively contribute to building up a body of knowledge made available to regional, national and international organisations with a view to ensuring that Mediterranean woodland areas are given the indispensable level of attention they absolutely need in major public policy for land use and sustainable development in the regions concerned here.

Themes

Within each region a main theme has been chosen which reflects either a major orientation of the region: the fight against wildfire, pastoralism, wood production, public access… or a topic felt to be particularly crucial by those taking part and requiring special attention: taking into account public expectations, reforestation, restoration after wildfire, an owners organisation, capitalisation of information through a GIS…

Types of Cooperation-Communication

• Bi- or multilateral communication between pilot sites
  “What’s been done here can be done elsewhere.” Thus, time and means must be given over at each site to keeping the partners at other sites informed of technical and organisational features and results to the maximum and, in return, obtaining from the partner sites similar information by going there on visits, training and work periods or by the exchange of technical personnel.

• Capitalisation of knowledge and know-how
  Little by little, by virtue of exchanges between the different sites, a body of acquired skills and understanding will build up which can be dynamically integrated into undertakings as they go on and, at the same time, be modified in the light of the multiplicity of experiences.
  Such a process will require a wide variety of forms of communication and dissemination: printed material, electronic networking, seminars… which will be taken in hand by the International Association of Mediterranean Forests.

• Dissemination beyond the network
  At length, the overall « production » generated by this system will very quickly constitute a volume of capital that should be made available to a much wider audience. This wider communication will be not only an opportunity to enhance those practices best adapted to Mediterranean woodlands but will also lend us greater credibility as we seek to enlighten local, regional, national and international institutions on such methods.

• Role of the International Association of Mediterranean Forests
  The International Association of Mediterranean Forests has been made responsible for the technical and administrative initiative required in this project. As such, and under the supervision of the Steering Committee and with the help of its own institutions (Administrative Council) and network, the IAMF will contribute its overall methodology which, thanks to its federating dimension, should ensure that each site and all those actively taking part will be effectively involved in cooperation and exchange.