From coastal management to environmental management: The sustainable eco-tourism program for the mid-western coast of Sardinia (Italy)

The Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) principles in the Mediterranean represent a guideline identifying an appropriate way of linking environmental best practices to local development. The Province of Medio Campidano (Sardinia, Italy) has a unique coastline eco-system, with a high level of conservation policy (according to the Habitats Directive) with the presence of 5 Sites of Community Importance (SCIs). In this sense, a pro-active approach was encouraged by the local administration, gaining the participation of representative stakeholder groups in order to define a common local development strategy. This paper synthesizes the results of the Sustainable Development and Eco-tourism Program (PSSE in Italian), an economic–environmental planning tool completed in January 2012. The PSSE implemented a road map for sustainable actions; these are the results of negotiated decisions. Indeed, after a diagnosis of the territorial system, using a multicriteria approach, new forms of integrated territorial management were suggested, using the coastline resource to launch a new economy, linking together ecotourism and environmental protection.

► The Sustainable Development and Eco-tourism Program (PSSE) as ICZM application. ► The new eco-governance is the result of a widespread collaborative participation. ► The sharing of knowledge to reach a bottom-up decision making. ► Environmental management to link together ecotourism and coastal protection. ► The environmental conservation to achieve a local sustainable development roadmap.