Local attitudes on protected areas: Evidence from three Natura 2000 wetland sites in Greece

Dimitrakopoulos, Panayiotis G.; Jones, Nicola; Iosifides, Theodoros; Florokapi, Ioanna; Lasda, Ourania; Paliouras, Foivos; Evangelinos, Konstantinos

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.04.010

Cited by 111 publications

(75 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The NoRs are therefore shown to be a resource to initiate socio-economic development which also impacts on the tourism sector. Sustainable tourism may go some way towards enabling protected areas to become self-sufficient, and thus encourage residents/stakeholders to support preservation measures [60], as mountain territories with an established tourist industry attempt to redefine their offers. The activities and projects realized by the NoRs allow territories to respond to these requirements by creating innovative, sustainable tourist products.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community Participation, Natural Resource Management and the Creation of Innovative Tourism Products: Evidence from Italian Networks of Reserves in the Alps

2017

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Abstract:The paper analyses value co-creation and social innovation focusing on a new approach to the management of Natura 2000 areas: the Networks of Reserves (NoRs). NoRs have been set up in Trentino (an Italian alpine area) to create an ecological network within the territory, with a particular focus on the socio-economic dimensions of nature conservation and with a bottom-up approach. The research investigates the role of NoRs by using a quali-quantitative approach to analyse the attitudes and awareness of private stakeholders, public actors and local communities. In-depth interviews with NoRs coordinators and key players in tourism organizations were carried out. 167 online questionnaires were sent out to local stakeholders. The research investigates community participation and stakeholder engagement in NoRs' projects and activities, whether and how socio-economic development has occurred, and whether and how innovative sustainable tourism offers have been created. It confirms the role of NoRs in relation to the conservation and valorisation of natural resources through the stimulation of activities such as environmental interpretation and education. The research demonstrates the effectiveness of bottom-up processes for the co-creation of sustainable tourism offers and the fostering of social innovation. NoRs have proved to be successful in overcoming the major impediments to the functioning of the Natura 2000 network highlighted in the literature.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community Participation, Natural Resource Management and the Creation of Innovative Tourism Products: Evidence from Italian Networks of Reserves in the Alps

2017

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“…Otherwise, Samothraki might share the rhetoric of many protected areas without substantial practical impact. It is known from other cases (see, for example, Oikonomou and Dikou 2008 for Alonis sos National Park, or Trakolis 2001 for Prespes Lakes, and more examples cited by Dimitrakopoulos et al 2010) that the positive attitude of stakeholders towards protected areas may gradually wane with too little public communication efforts, weak monitoring, and conflicts of interest. We argue that in Samothraki one of the key preconditions for a different pathway has been created: the solution was not imposed upon the local stakeholders, but was a matter of their participation and choice.…”

Section: Forschung | Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transforming the Greek Island of Samothraki into a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. An Experience in Transdisciplinarity

Fischer‐Kowalski¹,

Xenidis²,

Singh³

et al. 2011

GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society

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This research explored the feasibility of transforming the island of Samothraki, Greece, into a UNESCO biosphere reserve. The goal was to assess whether this would help to foster a sustainable socio-economic development and to preserve the unique natural and cultural heritage of the island. In recent years the number of seasonal residents and tourists on the island has been growing substantially, and so, too, have the demands upon facili ties and infrastructures. The number of livestock, primarily goats and sheep, has increased exponentially, enhanced by the agricultu ral policies of the EU. Overgrazing, in combination with the steepness of terrain, has led to severe soil erosion, even within the existing Natura 2000 conserva tion area. Such conditions made it apparent that a new develop ment model was needed, and an initiative was started to create a biosphere reserve. In a transdisciplinary process, the scientists gradually transferred ownership of this vision to local stakeholders. A biophysical and socio-economic assess ment showed that a biosphere reserve would be appropriate and be welcomed by the majority of stakeholders. The community council recently endorsed an application to UNESCO. 182Marina Fischer-Kowalski, Lazaros Xenidis, Simron Jit Singh, Irene Pallua FORSCHUNG | RESEARCHBiosphere reserves are areas encompassing valuable ecosystems and social communities that wish to combine the conservation of ecosystems with their sustainable use. They are nominated by national governments and remain under their jurisdiction but are internationally recognized and protected by UNESCO, based on the Seville Strategy and the Statutory Framework (UNES -CO 1996). In the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, exchange of information, experience, and personnel is facilitated. There are about 580 biosphere reserves in 114 countries (UNESCO 2011), combining nature conservation, environmental monitoring, training, demonstration, local participation, and sustainable development. Biosphere reserves contain a core area that strictly conserves minimally disturbed ecosystems, a buffer zone surrounding the core, and a transition zone that allows limited socio-economic activities such as sustainable tourism or agriculture.On the basis of this problem definition and vision, an open, thorough, and critical process was designed to systematically explore whether a development pathway as outlined in the bio sphere reserve concept would be feasible for the island of Samothraki and whether it would be welcomed by local stakeholders. 1 As a first step, answers were sought to the following questions (figure 1):Question 1: Does the island of Samothraki provide adequate natural, social, and economic opportunities for a pathway of nature conservation and sustainable development as envisioned in the UNESCO biosphere reserve concept? Question 2: If yes: Is the vision of becoming a biosphere reserve in accordance with UNESCO standards attractive to local (and regional) stakeholders? Does it offer containment and an identity that i...

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“…This can be seen to apply to, for example, questions that request rating of the Previous studies have also reviewed the perception of stakeholders about Natura 2000 -however the majority of these studies have undertaken a broad census amongst the general population (Dimitrakopoulos et al 2010;Mouro and Castro 2010;Pietrzyk-Kaszyńska et al 2012) (Kati et al 2015). Although these studies are based on a survey amongst the general population or a specific stakeholder group they also confirm our findings as they show that the opinions of respondents who are private owners of land in the Natura 2000 sites differ from the general population, as their perception is in general more negative.…”

Section: Discussion Of Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stakeholder perceptions in relation to changes in the management of Natura 2000 sites and the causes and consequences of change. : A survey in England, Flanders, France and the Netherlands

Bouwma

Donders

Kamphorst³

et al. 2016

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Local attitudes on protected areas: Evidence from three Natura 2000 wetland sites in Greece

Cited by 111 publications

References 51 publications

Community Participation, Natural Resource Management and the Creation of Innovative Tourism Products: Evidence from Italian Networks of Reserves in the Alps

Community Participation, Natural Resource Management and the Creation of Innovative Tourism Products: Evidence from Italian Networks of Reserves in the Alps

Transforming the Greek Island of Samothraki into a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. An Experience in Transdisciplinarity

Stakeholder perceptions in relation to changes in the management of Natura 2000 sites and the causes and consequences of change. : A survey in England, Flanders, France and the Netherlands

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