Les coopératives comme solution de re-développement d'une filière forêt-bois locale en Wallonie

Abstract

In the context of the globalized timber market, Wallonia possesses a local and abundant wood resource, but has yet to fully unlock its potential. The current initiatives are limited and inadequate in comparison to the challenges at hand. However, an emergence of cooperative structures proposing alternative economic models is underway in other sectors: energy, agriculture, housing, and more. Short supply chains already exist in agriculture, but what about in forestry? Do cooperatives offer a potential solution for the re-development of a local forest-wood sector in Wallonia? To address this question, 5 semi-structured interviews were conducted with entrepreneurs active in cooperatives within the forest-wood sector. The potential of cooperatives is confirmed and could be a serious avenue for solution, but significant challenges, particularly of a cultural nature, still need to be addressed.