The main objective of the Action is to improve the quality of information available to policy makers and forest managers on the recreation and tourism benefits of forestry and to increase the cost-effectiveness of techniques for delivering recreation and tourism benefits from forestry.
Specifically, these two objectives are divided into the following sub-objectives:
To improve knowledge of the benefits to urbanised societies through access to and recreation within forests
To improve the understanding of the economic and social impacts of forest recreation and nature tourism in Europe, and to assess its potential as a tool for rural development;
To improve knowledge of the patterns of supply and demand for forest recreation and nature tourism, as well as actual use patterns, within forests;
To improve the quality of forest recreation planning, and to improve the quality of recreation site and facility design and management.
The benefits will include:
Better exchange of information and research expertise on all matters regarding the recreational function of forests;
Better integration of information collection with analysis and research, as well as better co-ordination of information collection across European countries;
Better levels of training and knowledge amongst researchers, planners, designers, landowners and managers;
Better practice on the ground.
- Website : http://www.openspace.eca.ac.uk/costE33/homepage.htm
- Notes : This project involves researchers and practitioners from 26 Countries
- Project start : 0000
- Project end : 2008
- Contact Person : Simon Bell
- Funding Agency : EU Cost Programme
- Image Title : Go Ape near Bordeaux