EU-PoTaRCh COST action connects the past, present, and future of key non-timber forest products in Europe and beyond. Focusing on forest by-products like Potash, Tar, Resin, and Charcoal (PoTaRCh), it highlights their significance in traditional forest use and their role in industrial history. The project also explores related products like tannins and pitches, shedding light on their impact on European heritage.
COST Action EU-PoTaRCh establishes a network focused on the past, present and future use of the major forest by-products in Europe. The Action emphasizes forest by-products, mainly potash, tar, resin, and charcoal (PoTaRCh), as representatives of the traditional heritage of forest exploitation, including extractives used along the time for their specific chemical, biological activity and therapeutic effect. The scientific objective of the Action is to demonstrate the value of these products for the communities and their socio-economic growth, as well as their impact on biodiversity and climate throughout time. The general aim is to identify and assess changes in production and use of PoTaRCh and extractives, along with their social and environmental impacts on sustainable development and draw lessons for the future based on this legacy. In this way, the Action supports the sustainable use of forests and the transfer of knowledge about circular economy practices, as a contribution to the systemic shift to the new circular bio-economy.
