The regulation on financial aid to help improve professional qualifications and encourage knowledge transfer provides for an aid scheme to promote knowledge transfer in the area of sustainable forest management, including popularisation, informational and promotional activities.

Anyone wishing to apply must file their application in writing with the director of the Nature and Forest Agency (Administration de la nature et des forêts).

Who is concerned

The aid scheme is available to:

• groups of forest property owners;
• associations of communes whose purpose is to manage natural park land;
• associations of communes or public service institutions whose purpose is to protect the natural environment.

This aid is available for the organisation of activities to popularise, disseminate information on, and promote sustainable forest management.

Prerequisites

Organisations that wish to undertake a project must submit an application file beforehand.

To receive this aid, the projects must:

• be aimed at promoting sustainable forest management practices which are compatible with the environmental and natural-resource protection requirements;
• contain precise information on:
  • their purpose;
  • their projected duration;
  • their cost;
  • where applicable, the forest property owners or forestry firms who may benefit from the aid;
  • the sources of funding for that portion of the costs not covered by government aid;
• cover a period of between 2 and 5 years;
• specify the name(s) of the natural or legal person(s) responsible for their practical implementation. These persons must possess the professional qualifications and experience appropriate to the nature of the projects to be conducted.

How to proceed

Filing an application

The applicant must file their application with the director of the Nature and Forest Agency.

On the application form, the applicant must specify:

• their surname and first name;
• their address;
• their telephone number;
• their banking institution and account number;
• their national identification number.

Supporting documents

The application must be accompanied by the following:

• the application file;
• any documents used to oversee the implementation of the projects and track the expenses incurred.

A report on the results obtained must be submitted once the activities have been organised.

Decision

The director of the Nature and Forest Agency will inform the applicant of the Agency's decision, and the measures to be taken to receive a subsidy.

Amount of aid

The amount of aid is set at:

• 50 % of the total expenses approved by the Minister, including VAT;
• 90 % of the total cost if the popularisation, informational or promotional activities relate to:
  • preventing the effects of disasters by improving the resilience of forests; or
  • restoring forests which have been damaged by disasters.

Once the administration has verified the authenticity and legitimacy of the expenses, the aid is paid at the end of the project, subject to an acceptance report.

Repayment of aid

The beneficiary will be required to repay the aid received if:

• it was obtained by means of false or incomplete statements;
• the beneficiary has failed to comply with the conditions for granting the aid. In that event, the beneficiary will also be required to pay interest at the legal rate, calculated as from the day of payment to the day of repayment.

For the year in question, the beneficiary will be precluded from receiving any aid for improving the protection and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the event of:

• a false declaration due to gross negligence; or
• failure to abide by the principles of best forestry practices.

Appeal

If their application is denied, or if they are required to repay any aid received, the applicant may appeal the administrative decision by the usual means of appeal (non-contentious appeal, legal appeal), provided they observe the legal limitation periods.

It is also possible to lodge an appeal with the Ombudsman.

Forms / Online services

Who to contact