Week 7 Discussion- Sustainability

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Land Use Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471

Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Land Use Policy

j our na l ho me p age: www.elsev ier .com/ locate / landusepol

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

iuseppe Ioppolo ∗, Giuseppe Saija, Roberta Salomone epartment SEA, University of Messina, Italy

r t i c l e i n f o

rticle history: eceived 2 July 2012 eceived in revised form 5 August 2012 ccepted 17 August 2012

eywords: ntegrated Coastal Zone Management

a b s t r a c t

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

nvironmental territorial management nvironmental governance co-tourism program

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.

ntroduction

The European Environment Agency’s Report 4/2009, entitled Progress towards the European 2010 biodiversity target” high- ights how biodiversity has been halved over the last two centuries nd how Europe now retains only 45% of its species, the others aving become extinct, and human activity means that this trend

s ongoing and indeed accelerating (EEA, 2009). In annex III of Directive 92/43/EEC “Habitats”, the European

nion identified the selection criteria for sites of environmental mportance, outlining the methodology to be followed in order to onstruct the European network called “Natura 2000” (EEC, 1992). he combined provisions of the “Habitats” and “Birds” Directives EEC, 1979) impose on all EU Member States the duty to protect nd recover natural areas with high value eco-systems and at high isk of biodiversity loss (Ledoux et al., 2000). Areas of particular nterest have been divided into zones with the introduction of estrictions and actions aimed at maintaining and/or recovering atural habitats with the relevant species native to Europe, partic- larly threatened by phenomena of fragmentation and extinction. he Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are thus a mosaic made

p of Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection reas (SPAs) for which detailed environmental planning is needed.

∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 090 771548; fax: +39 090 6764920. E-mail address: giuseppe.ioppolo@unime.it (G. Ioppolo).

264-8377/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2012.08.010

© 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In line with the provisions of art. 6, paragraph 1, of the Habi- tats Directive for Special Areas of Conservation, the Member States decide the necessary conservation measures, which in certain cases implicate the introduction of a specific instrument known as a Man- agement Plan (MP).

Moreover, the environmental management aspects are closely tied to the functionality of the habitat and to the presence of the species for which the site was proposed and, thus, need to be widened within a planning strategy capable of balancing the phenomena of both direct and indirect interference (human, eco- nomic, social), aiming at the creation of compatible development scenarios in the medium-term (Daily et al., 2000; Mörtberga et al., 2007).

Currently, there is an overlap of territorial instruments in use in Italy: for example, between the MP and instruments such as the Regional Landscape Plan, the Hydrographic District Manage- ment Plan, the Regional Forestry Plan, the Regional Game Fauna Plan, Provincial and Municipal Urbanization Plans and all other forms of planning that require regulation within the relevant pro- tected areas. Thus, there seems to be a need to achieve an adequate level of integration, both vertical (national, regional, provincial and local instruments) and horizontal (planning and evaluation instru- ments on the same scale) in order to optimize the use of resources (including financial resources) (Zoppi and Lai, 2013). From this per-

spective, in accordance with Italian Presidential Decree no. 357/97, which enacts the Habitat Directive in Italian law, the Regional authorities are given legal and regulatory responsibility in this field. The Region can limit itself to performing the administrative

se Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471 461

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Table 1 Preliminary SWOT analysis of the Arbus area (Medio Campidano Province – Sardinia, Italy).

Strong points Weak points

• High environmental value • High value of cultural heritage

and local community identity • Peculiarity of the landscape • Historical and cultural

attractions linked to mining activities (mining archeology)

• High concentration of artisans’ workshops

• Existence of a significant food and wine heritage

• Poor integration with surrounding territories (Guspinese and Villacidrese areas)

• Poor conditions of roads within the coastal area (70 km of unsurfaced roads)

• Inadequate public transport (both rail and road)

• Lack of a tourist port • Inadequate primary

infrastructure in coastal towns (e.g. inadequate integrated water cycle or internet connections)

Opportunities Threats

• Incentives for coastal protection • Availability of national and

European funding • Expansion of foreign tourism tied

to ecotourism • Training opportunities directly

linked to a process of enhancement of existing heritage through ecotourism

• Incentives for the recovery of

• Deficit of the local socio-demographic system

• Further reduction of the already very low level of entrepreneurship

• Failure to intervene to improve local infrastructure

• Direct competitors in the ecotourism market

G. Ioppolo et al. / Land U

unctions assigned under regulations, or it can create its own legis- ation in this field. In the latter case, by adopting specific legislation, he Region can delegate particular planning powers to Provincial or ther local authorities.

On this basis, the Province of Medio Campidano (Sardinia, Italy), hich has a unique coastline ecosystem, 47 km in length, situated

ntirely in the municipality of Arbus, including 5 Special Areas of onservation (SACs), which have been classified as Sites of Com- unity Importance (SCIs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) in

ccordance with the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), decided to for- ulate its own strategic vision and adopt an ad hoc operational

nstrument: the Programma di Sviluppo Sostenibile ed Eco-turistico PSSE (Sustainable Development and Eco-tourism Program).

This local economic–environmental planning tool is composed f three documents, results of three related phases:

Report on the State of the Arbus coastal area (RSAC), which is the result of a diagnosis of the territorial system (Phase 1). Master Plan, which is a concerted document, on strategic choices, for the purpose of a benchmarking analysis (external compet- itiveness) and an analysis of the potential of the local system (evaluation of the internal system in relation to the load capacity and future prospects) (Phase 2). Concluding Report containing feasibility studies of the priority initiatives (Phase 3).

Finally, this instrument must necessarily be part of a process of ntegrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), which is now con- idered “the most appropriate process for dealing with long-term hallenges”, being a “proactive policy process aimed at addressing onflict, interests for coastal space and resources” (Gonzàlez-Riancho t al., 2009; Koutrakis et al., 2011).

This paper synthesizes the results of the PSSE, completed in anuary 2012; the general objective is to highlight new forms of ntegrated territorial management, using the coastline resource as

strongpoint for launching a new economy with an eye to eco- ourism and environmental protection (Gössling, 1999).

The paper is structured in the following sections:

. “Introduction” section, in which the general aim of the paper and its structure are presented.

. “Theory and methods” section, in which the PSSE instrument is examined, analyzing both the relevant territorial-coastal sce- nario, and the connected eco-tourism processes.

. “Results and discussion” section, in which we discuss the strong points emerging from the PSSE and translate them into a roadmap for the sustainable development of the Arbus coastline.

. “Conclusions” section, in which it is shown how the regulations created by the Management Plans lead to the achievement of a unitary objective of territorial environmental development, which generates a program of compatible economic–social development around the coastal system.

heory and methods

he PSSE: operating method and area of reference

The Province of Medio Campidano, following a preliminary WOT analysis of its coastal system (see Table 1), adopted a PSSE in rder to unify the various diagnostic-planning instruments already n place. In particular, the PSSE aims to monitor and manage the rowth of human development in particularly fragile areas, both

hrough integrated and interdisciplinary management of public reas with high numbers of tourists, and limiting human impact n order to favor eco-sustainable and eco-tourism development hat enhances the local wealth of biodiversity (Lanza and Randazzo,

property linked to the mining industry

2011; Pearce and Moran, 1994; Tintorè et al., 2009; Turner et al., 1999; Vallega, 1995a,b).

The PSSE applies to territory within the Province of Medio Camp- idano, specifically to the coastline in the municipality of Arbus (Sardinia, Italy), about 47 km in linear length, from the promon- tory of Capo Frasca to the north, as far as Capo Pecora to the south. This coastline is characterized by alternating rocky stretches and large dune systems which require adequate protection and man- agement (Rhind and Jones, 2009). The whole area subject to the program covers about 320 km2. This coastal area of the municipal- ity of Arbus includes 5 of the 8 Sites of Community Importance to be found in the Province; the starting point for the program is the acquisition and integration of documents relating to the various Management Plans (see Fig. 1 and Table 2).

The PSSE, like the Local Action Plans, by interpreting the dynam- ics of compatible territorial development, is aimed at identifying an integrated system of actions that can be compared and measured and which guarantee sustainable territorial development from an ICZM perspective (Forst, 2009; Koutrakis et al., 2011).

The methodology of the PSSE consists in a series of activities divided into three phases (see Fig. 2):

• The first phase is diagnostic and is aimed at supplying the Provin- cial authorities with a clear overview of the State of the Coastal Environment, through a Report (RSAC) drawn up following a pro- cess of collecting and analyzing territorial, environmental and socio-economic data, as well as by comparing local requirements. The data was processed in a dynamic (geo-referenced) database (Douven et al., 2003), then weighted and put in order according to priority, as a result of participatory dialogue with the sys- tem of governance, including all stakeholders. On the basis of the “Methodology for the creation of the Map of Physiographic Units

of Italian Landscapes”, using the modus operandi proposed by the Agency for Environmental and Territory Protection (APAT), now the Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambien- tale (ISPRA, 2010), for the classification of types of landscape,

462 G. Ioppolo et al. / Land Use Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471

Fig. 1. Area of Sustainable Development and Eco-tourism Program (PSSE in Italian) – coastal of Arbus (Sardinia, Italy).

Table 2 Management Plans approved by Decrees issued by the Department for Environmental Protection.

Code and Decree numbers Name of the SCI Description of the Sites of Community Importance (SCIs)

Cod.ITB030032 n. 18 of 28/02/2008 Stagno di Corru S’ittiri Characterized by wetlands of international importance (as identified by the Rasmar Convention) with various distinct environmental elements, including the presence of phytocenoses typical of lacustrine, marshland and semiarid salse areas

Cod.ITB032229 n. 20 of 28/02/2008 Is Arenas S’Acqua e S’Ollastu A coastal desert area characterized by dune habitats of various kinds, areas of Mediterranean scrub and areas characterized by “Posidonia prairies”. There is also the presence of Astragalus verrucosum Moris, classified as a plant species of community importance, as well as ornithic and herpetic species, also of community importance

Cod.ITB040031 n. 13 of 13/02/2009 Monte Arcuentu e Rio Piscinas, Elements of interest include the volcanic Mount Arcuentu, part of the rio Gutturru and Flumini catchment basin, the rio Piscinas catchment basin, the Costa Verde schistose system, the disused mining areas of Ingurtosu, Montevecchio Ponente and Montevecchio Levante, and the rio Montevecchio Sitzerri alluvial system. The stretch of coastline is characterized by very high sand dunes, along with thick Mediterranean scrub. There are also lithologies of enormous importance for understanding the geological history of Sardinia and three original herds of Sardinian deer

Cod.ITB040071 n. 56 of 30/07/2008 Da Piscinas a Riu Scivu The dunes here have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. They cover an area about 3 km long and contain 5 different dune habitats, posidonia prairies and various animal species of Community importance

Cod.ITB040030 n. 66 of 30/07/2008 Capo Pecora Characterized by considerable biodiversity of coastal and land environments, the presence of various plant species typical of sandy and rocky environments

T C

maps have been drawn of similar landscape areas of the Medio Campidano coastline, known as “Unità Fisiografiche di Paesag-

gio Costiero – UFPC” (Physiographic Units of Coastal Landscape), which are the fundamental elements of the Carta della Natura system. Each landscape area is a portion of territory possess- ing typological homogeneity or topological uniqueness (Antrop,

able 3 lassification of the Physiographic Coastal Landscape Units – UFPC (in Italian).

UFPC number Name Length of coast (km)

1 Capo Pecora 5.7

2 Piscinas/Riu Scivu 8.4

3 M. Arcuentu/Riu Piscinas 7.0

4 Arbus 14.4

5 Is Arenas S’Acqua e S’Ollastu 1.9

6 Stagno di Corru S’Ittri 24.0

Total Study area 61.4

and the presence of native species of great phytogeographical interest, such as the Palestine Oak. The area is also populated by Sardinian deer and is an ideal habitat for birds such as the Peregrine falcon and the European shag

2005). These characteristics make it unique and distinguish it from the surrounding areas. In other words, we can describe the

UFPC as a portion of territory that is geographically defined and identifiable as a physiographic unicum, distinguished by a char- acteristic set of physical, biotic and human features, meaning it is “structurally” homogeneous (see Table 3) (Bin et al., 2009).

Perimeter (km) Ground area (kmq) Sea area (kmq)

17.47 11.10 23.57 21.90 16.76 2.58 21.46 18.79 37.57 29.60 24.95 27.58 10.38 3.05 20.28 56.01 48.27 9.36

– 199.06 120.94

G. Ioppolo et al. / Land Use Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471 463

Start

Phase 1

Phas e 2

• Data and research analysis;

• Withdrawals and direct

surveys;

• Macrotrends analysis;

• SWOT analysis;

• Benchmarking analysis;

• Physiograph ic Coas tal

Land scape Units;

• Mul tilevel an alysis.

Report on the State of the Arbus Coastal Area (RSAC in italian)

• Aims and objectives;

• Meas ures an d actions;

• Alternative scenarios;

• Pre-budg eting;

• Susta inable targets.

Mast er Plan

• Feasibility planning;

• Economic and social

feasibility;

• Financia l feasibility;

• Legal and institution al

feasibility;

• Coherence with the

environm ental po licies (local and over local).

Roadmap for sustainable and ecotourism develop ment

Cockpit

Conference

2° Intermediate

Conference

PSS E

Mod el Projects

1° Intermediate

Conference

3° Intermediate

Conference

Final

Conference

Phas e 3

Conclusion

YES

NONO

NO

YES

YES

Phas e • Process and Activity Produ ct Public

Presentat ion

Legend of

methodolog ical

outline:

Put in action

F gram i

ig. 2. Methodological outline of the Sustainable Development and Eco-tourism Pro ts related activity.

The choice of this limitation, both regarding the physiographic- landscape units and the width of the buffer zone, was determined by the following evaluations. Due to the considerable length of the coastline, the results already obtained from the above men- tioned SCI Management Plans were integrated, overcoming the limitations of interpretations of a purely administrative (munici- pal or maritime boundaries, planning restrictions, etc.) or purely ecological (area covered by coastal ecosystems, Mediterranean scrub, woodland or thermophilic prairie, dunes, etc.) nature, in order to produce a systemic revision of information according to a bottom up–top down cross-approach (from local manage- ment tools toward those on a regional, national and European level and vice versa) (Jeftic, 1996). In the maritime area, choices were not made on a purely administrative criterion (navigation or fishing areas, restricted areas, etc.) either and a purely eco- logical criterion was used, linked to the isobath of the maximum depth at which the Posidonia oceanica lives. Subsequently land use in the Province of Medio Campidano was analyzed using the Corine Land Cover (CLC) table (EEA-ETC/TE, 2002; Feraneca et al., 2007; Hadley, 2009). Studying the territory allowed the development of a series of alphanumerical matrices in GIS for- mat, so as to represent the various types of land covering and their relative representativeness, within the physiographic unit and in absolute terms, within the whole territory in question (Guisan and Zimmermann, 2000). The GIS is a useful aid to interpreting the environmental variables when making deci- sions (Geneletti, 2004; Ioppolo et al., 2012; Marotta et al., 2011; Pernice et al., 2004). Moreover, according to Parravicini et al.

(2012) understanding the relationships between multiple human pressures and the status of ecosystems is crucial to develop spa- tial plans whose main goal is the cartographic visualization of the results of different management alternatives (Douvere, 2008). In

(PSSE). This figure describes the results of each phase, putting together process and

particular, Table 4 summarizes the distribution of the various types of land, in terms of covering, within the various Physio- graphic Coastal Landscape Units.

• The second phase was a planning phase in which a new sys- tem of territorial governance was established (Sampford, 2002; O’Riordan et al., 2008; Stojanovic and Ballinger, 2009) and a core project was developed, transforming the collectively stake- holders desiderata into a program which, in line with the RSAC results, set out to promote local development through sustainable tourism (Fletcher, 2007). With this in mind, the PSSE reinterprets each form of tourism, according to the real load capacity of the territory. The product of this phase is a Master Plan (MP).

• The third and final phase was a bridging action between program- ming aspects and aspects of planning for the interventions that had been decided previously. The Program was used to select a series of “model projects” and, above all, to formalize a new permanent form of territorial governance. The infrastructures and services that could be put in place as a priority were eval- uated qualitatively and quantitatively (specific feasibility studies for each project), contributing positively and in a balanced way to economic development and to citizens’ well-being (Falaleeva et al., 2011).

This diagnostic process, with the help of a multi-criteria recon- naissance of the coastal environmental system, was the basis for defining the various possible scenarios for compatible development (Zoppi, 2007).

The whole program is supported by continuous reporting and

comparison of results from each phase in order to construct a new form of local eco-governance (Ioppolo, 2010, 2012; Renn, 2006; Soma and Vatn, 2009). Public participation and stakeholder involvement is essential in ICZM processes, not only in terms of a

464 G. Ioppolo et al. / Land Use Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471

Table 4 Percentage quantitative structure of terrestrial area exclusively by individual Physiographic Coastal Landscape Units – UFPC (in Italian).

Corine Code Type of land use according to CLC UFPC1 UFPC2 UFPC3 UFPC4 UFPC5 UFPC6

3.2.4.1 Transitional woodland scrub 0.25% 0.37% 0.74% 1.20% 0.00% 10.54% 2.4.4 Agro-forestry areas 6.90% 1.38% 0.02% 1.36% 0.96% 1.30% 1.2.1.2 Commercial units 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.09% 0.00% 0.05% 3.3.3 Sparsely vegetated areas 33.83% 17.30% 0.15% 0.08% 0.00% 1.63% 3.3.1.1 Areas of dunes not covered by vegetation of a width > 50 m 0.00% 1.83% 1.08% 0.75% 5.22% 0.22% 1.2.1.1 Industrial units 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.03% 0.00% 0.07% 2.4.3 Land principally occupied by agriculture with significant

areas of natural vegetation 1.39% 0.00% 0.04% 1.11% 0.00% 0.59%

1.4.2.1 Sports and leisure facilities 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.01% 0.00% 0.00% 1.1.2.2 Small towns and villages 0.00% 0.03% 0.06% 0.02% 0.11% 0.33% 3.2.2.1 Mainly holm oak and/or cork oak forest covering 10–20% 1.38% 0.00% 2.28% 0.65% 0.28% 0.95% 3.1.1.1 Macedonian oak forest 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.02% 0.00% 1.18% 3.1.1 Broad-leaved forest 0.09% 0.13% 1.78% 37.84% 47.14% 18.86% 3.1.3 Mixed broad-leaved and coniferous forest 0.00% 0.00% 1.03% 1.70% 1.55% 0.00% 1.3.3 Construction sites 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.06% 1.1.2.1 Isolated houses 0.00% 0.00% 0.09% 0.22% 0.00% 0.28% 2.4.1.3 Annual crops associated with permanent crops 1.13% 0.35% 0.00% 0.21% 0.00% 0.00% 3.3.1.3 Sand plains > 2 ha (not on the shoreline) 0.00% 1.56% 0.65% 0.03% 0.00% 0.12% 5.1.2.2 Artificial water bodies 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.08% 0.08% 3.3.1.5 Water courses wider than 25 m 0.00% 0.00% 0.43% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 3.2.3.1 High scrubland 25.49% 13.62% 68.76% 36.00% 22.59% 16.55% 3.2.3.2 Low garrigue scrubland 13.84% 55.62% 20.89% 11.55% 0.00% 11.61% 5.2.3 Seas and oceans (included in the UFPC) 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.03% 4.1.1 Inland marshes 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1.14% 4.2.1 Salt marshes 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1.06% 3.2.1 Natural grassland-pastures and prairies 2.87% 0.17% 0.37% 0.83% 0.28% 0.88% 1.2.2.1 Road and rail networks and associated land 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.01% 3.3.2 Bare rocks, cliffs, crags, outcrops 2.62% 0.61% 0.00% 0.78% 0.00% 1.31% 2.1.2 Permanently irrigated arable land autumn–winter crops 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 9.64% 2.1.1.1 Non-irrigated arable land autumn–winter crops 10.23% 6.19% 0.35% 4.49% 9.20% 21.01% 2.4.2 Complex cultivation patterns 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.07% 0.00% 0.00% 3.3.1.1 Beaches of width > 50 m 0.00% 0.84% 1.14% 0.05% 1.19% 0.22% 4.2.3 Intertidal flats 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.07% 1.1.1.1 Continuous urban fabric 0.00% 0.00% 0.12% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%

10

d o 2 t o v a t d e e o t 2

r

•

•

•

c t a i

1.1.1.2 Discontinuous urban fabric

Total

emocratic approach, but also from a technical–instrumental point f view, in order to reduce decisional conflicts (Johnson and Dagg, 003; Koutrakis et al., 2011). Reconnaissance and enhancement of he contributions and expectations of the actors involved is carried ut in three ways: desk analysis, on field research and audit (inter- iews with actors/privileged observers) according to a bottom-up pproach (Marin et al., 2009). It is also important to underline how he system of governance perceives the geographical context, the egree of criticality of the areas for intervention, ex ante, from an nvironmental, social, economic and infrastructure viewpoint, the stablished functional mix and, finally, the relationships between bjectives of conservation and those of finding new forms of sus- ainable consumption as a whole (D’Ayala, 1992; Milligan et al., 009; Treby and Clark, 2004).

The reference scenarios respond to the following guiding crite- ia:

identifying the structural and stable functional elements which must remain in any future options; understanding which guiding forces act and interact with the various environmental–territorial factors (specific relationship between forms of tourism and load capacity of the system); identifying points of uncertainty, discontinuity, turning points, risk factors which bring about exogenous changes that affect future opportunities.

The final aim was that of analyzing and evaluating the “absolute”

ompetitive potential of the territory, the distinctive values that he territory (coastal area) can offer as strategic opportunities with

wider view of the territorial limitations of the intervention area, dentifying local development plans/programs/projects which fully

0.00% 0.00% 0.03% 0.90% 11.41% 0.21%

0.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

and compatibly exploit the opportunities existing in activities that are already rooted in the local context, in other words the basis of resources and competence in the local system.

Sustainable development and eco-tourism strategies to support the PSSE

The intervention framework was designed taking into consid- eration both internal and external variables capable of influencing the position of the Medio Campidano system in comparison to other systems and “destinations” with similar characteristics and market aspirations.

Regarding the internal “structure” of the territory, the analysis made particular reference to:

• the territorial and environmental context; • the social context; • the economic context; • the level of local planning and leadership.

The territorial analysis was carried out with particular attention to the environmental areas at greatest risk of vulnerability, given the context of high environmental value, and the result was then synthesized in the relational SWOT analysis.

The relational (or “dynamic”) SWOT cross-references in a table all the elements highlighted in the SWOT, making comparisons by

pairs and grading the reciprocal influence of the elements from −2 to +2. In particular, when comparing the horizontal and vertical ele- ments, the attribution of points to the box which cross-references them takes on the following meaning (see Table 5):

G. Ioppolo et al. / Land Use Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471 465

Table 5 Dynamic-relational SWOT of PSSE coastal zone.

, in red

m e t

a

r t e c p

e t

o b

o i i e u a

Note: In blue are presented the three best impact results

−2 = the horizontal element is strongly impeded, or even canceled out, by the vertical one; −1 = the horizontal element is impeded by the vertical one, but manages to have some effect, albeit in a limited form; 0 = the two elements are independent of one another; +1 = the horizontal element has increased effect thanks to synergy with the vertical element; +2 = the horizontal element has much increased effect thanks to the vertical element.

As the reciprocal influence of the pairs of elements is not sym- etrical, the matrix is square and not triangular and, in order to

valuate it, the values of all boxes must be considered, except for hose of the main diagonal.

Table 5 shows the reciprocal evaluations of influence (vertically) nd importance (horizontally) among the elements.

Looking at the results, the most revealing positive aspect egarding the impact of a single element on the strategic terri- orial framework, in other words, the influence exercised by the lement in question, evaluated by adding the results in the verti- al columns, is territorial features, high environmental value and otential quality ties between tourism and agriculture.

From a negative point of view, the risks are those of uncontrolled xploitation, progressive depopulation and the conflict between he requirements of mass tourism and those of naturalistic tourism.

Using a process of negotiation, the representative group picked ut a set of variables, based on questionnaires results, to define the enchmarking analysis (Forester, 1999).

The position of the coastal area was determined on the basis f a benchmarking analysis, which allows us to make compar- sons with cases of excellence or best practices in national and

nternational territories that have experienced significant tourism- nvironmental development (see Fig. 3). This analysis provides seful indications for the eco-tourism development of the Arbus rea, widening the development scenario for the whole of the

the three worst impact results.

Province (Tsaur et al., 2006; Weaver and Lawton, 2007). The cases taken into consideration, held to be significant on the basis of vari- ables relevant to the development of ecotourism (Boyd and Butler, 1996), were the Province of Rimini, the coastal areas of the Province of Teramo, the Cinque Terre Park, the Ionian Eco Villagers on the island of Zante, in Greece and South West Tourism in the United Kingdom. A deliberate choice was made to use a mixture of suc- cessful cases, involving public administrations, alone or jointly, public–private partnerships and purely private initiatives.

The variables taken into consideration in the benchmark, aggre- gated by “macro-areas”, are:

Regarding the context:

• accessibility; • the environmental value of the territory.

Regarding the current state of tourism development:

• the level of tourism and service infrastructures; • promotional policies.

Regarding the spread of sustainable development:

• environmental policies; • natural resources; • investment and innovation; • economic and social impact on the territory; • activation of networks; • involvement of private actors.

The result provided by the RSAC is not only limited to useful indications for further evaluation of a strategic nature, but also, per- mitted the intervention framework on which the strategic choices adopted in the MP are based.

466 G. Ioppolo et al. / Land Use Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471

In relatio n to the co ntext In relatio n to the spread of sustainable deve lopment

In relation to the tourism development

Territor y Accessibi lity

Rimi ni 5 Terre Park

Soud-West Engl and

Coast of Teramo Zante

ARBUS

Envir onmental value of th e territor y

High

High Low

Low

Leve l of tou rism and service infrastructures

Promotio nal Po licies

High

High Low

Low

Rimini

5 Terr e Park

Soud -West Eng land

Zante Coast of Teramo

ARBUS

High

High Low

Low

Investment s and in novatio ns

Econo mics and so cial impacts on th e territor y

ARBUS

Zante

Rimini

5 Terr e Park

Soud -West Eng land

Coast of Teramo

High

High Low

Low

Activation of network

Involvement of private actors

5 Terr e Park Rimini

Soud-W est Eng land

ARB US

Coast of Teramo

Zante

Rimi ni Zante

ARBUS

5 Terre Park

Soud-West Engl and Coast of Teramo

High

High Low

Low

Envir onmental Policies

Natura l resou rce s

F ARBU e effort

r e

• •

a d t o S r w G u

d ( q a a a a

ig. 3. Benchmarking analysis of PSSE. This figure represents the actual position of co-tourism competitors), and it helps the reading of the direction of the necessary

The territory in which the development initiatives are to be car- ied out is characterized by a high degree of distinctive natural and nvironmental value, which can be summarized thus:

in terms of the possible impact of the planned intervention; in terms of what the territory has to offer, given that, in this spe- cific case, the territory of the municipality of Arbus contains a large portion of the entire natural heritage of the Province of Medio Campidano.

The coastal system of the Province of Medio Campidano, as has lready been said, is characterized by native species and unique bio- iversity, which makes it exceptional within the overall scenario of he Italian coastline, in terms of concentrated quantity and quality f the territory. Moreover, the presence of the Parco Geominerario torico e Ambientale della Sardegna (Sardinian Historical and Envi- onmental Geo-mining Park), an emblematic example of the new orldwide network of Geosites/Geoparks, set up by the UNESCO eneral Conference, increases the potential, wealth, charm and niqueness of the territory.

On the basis of the results of the RSAC and following a phase of iscussion among all local and non-local actors and stakeholders lasting more than a year), according to Q methodology (combining ualitative and quantitative research characteristics by exploring

nd identifying a number of ‘viewpoints’ or ‘discourses’ concerning

specific theme – Barry and Proops, 1999; Brown, 1980; McKeown nd Thomas, 1988; Stephenson, 1953), a methodology that has lready been used to reveal discourses on the effectiveness of the

S territorial system in comparing with representative eco-tourism areas (possible to improve or maintaining this strategic position.

Mediterranean Action Plan (Frantzi et al., 2009), certain factors critical for success emerged on which to build shared future devel- opment:

• Low level of human settlement: the ruggedness of the terrain, which has limited settlement in the past, has guaranteed protec- tion of the Arbus landscape and its biodiversity, conserving a great heritage for the present generation. The limited human pres- sure (a distinctive and rare trait for a present day Mediterranean tourist destination) allows the planning of economic enhance- ment activities with low impact on the natural balance of the coastal area.

• Territorial features: the particular morphological and geograph- ical characteristics of the area, which stretches over more than 47 km of coastline, with beautiful sand dunes that have also been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, represent an undoubted strongpoint for the distinctive value of the area in terms of attrac- tiveness, uniqueness and quality of the natural environment (Rhind and Jones, 2009).

• Considerable amount of arable land and quality produce: this aspect highlights a local potential that strengthens economic sustainability linked to quality and characterization of Medio Campidano. Indeed, this local characteristic could set off a pos- itive process of strategic value for the building of ties between

tourism and agriculture, capable of amplifying growth in both sectors by adopting new tools such as Product Oriented Environ- mental Management System – POEMS, based on the Life Cycle Assessment use to analyze the agri-food impacts (van Berkel et al.,

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1999; Salomone and Ioppolo, 2012; Salomone et al., 2011). The Provincial authorities have committed themselves to a project (“Vivere la Campagna”) which promotes sustainable agriculture, allows for rational and reasonable use of natural resources and of rural spaces and the return of these spaces to farmers. The enhancement of these territorial management choices through forms of “rural” tourism, would permit greater social, environ- mental and local economic benefits to be achieved. Strong characterizing cultural identity of the territory: this strong- point is aimed at maintaining socio-cultural models, traditions, rural villages, local feast days as opportunities for asserting col- lective identity, for increasing opportunities for tourism with a view to a new dynamic and integrated form of production. Indeed, all these elements must be integrated and enhanced through adequate territorial resource management, with the aim of identifying an Area Brand, which has the double advantage of protecting local cultural identity and generating economic effects necessary for protecting the identity of areas otherwise subject to the risk of depopulation, impoverishment and cultural distortion. Provincial sustainable development policies: the Province of Medio Campidano has realized the need for land use planning in order to combat the main threats to natural habitats, with a view to lasting sustainability that produces territorial growth without impover- ishing resources, controlling threats, such as human settlement in particularly fragile areas. For this reason, the Province has adopted a series of instruments in support of this strategy (LIFE, projects on renewable energy and on integrated coastal manage- ment, etc.). The Province’s planning activities are an important strongpoint in the attempt to seize sustainable development opportunities in the Arbus coastal area.

This natural and archeological heritage is a strategic factor of ttraction for an important segment of the tourism market, namely cotourism, characterized by high pro-capita spending. Attracting his kind of tourism to the area would generate economic and social enefits throughout the Province (increased services and employ- ent). In view of the decline of “traditional” tour operators, it is impor-

ant to understand how the market is evolving, unpredictable as it ay be. If we focus our attention on the “ecological tourism” mar-

et in Italy, considering the data supplied by Coldiretti in 2010, the ector recorded an increase in presences and turnover rate of 8% of talians who chooses the “green holiday” (Swg-Confesercenti data).

After seaside and mountain holidays, Italians express a prefer- nce for holidays characterized by the following elements:

contact with nature (38%); relaxation and tranquility (13.7%); cul- tural traditions, folklore and traditional food and wine (12.6%); opportunities for sporting activities (10.3%); open-air activities such as trekking, mountain biking, bird-watching, skiing, horse- riding, climbing (9.9%).

This data was in line with the VII National Report on tourism- ature presented at Ecotur 2009.

The Report, drawn up by the Ecotur Observatory Study Cen- er, in collaboration with the University dell’Aquila, Istat, the bruzzo Regional government, Enit and the “In Fiera” Study Center, nderlines certain encouraging data for tourism linked to nature Osservatorio Turismo Natura, 2010):

a 29% increase in ecotourism overnight stays from 2005 to 2009; a 2% increase in farm holiday overnight stays from 2007 to 2008; a 40% increase in the farm holiday share of ecotourism from 2005 to 2008.

licy 31 (2013) 460– 471 467

This data is in contrast with that of traditional overnight hotel stays, which experienced a 19.9% fall from 2005 to 2008. It should be considered that in 62.9% of cases, the average stay does not exceed one week-end.

The Ecotour Report outlined a profile of an eco-tourist which points to somebody between 16 and 30 years old, a good level of education and a preference for organizing holidays indepen- dently (62%). The prices of ecotourism holidays are of secondary importance among the reasons for choosing this kind of holiday, and the fundamental factor is the quality and authenticity of the products offered. The spending power of these tourists for each holiday corresponds to the price of ecotourism holidays available on the market. The keystone of ecotourism is food and wine: typ- ical local products are discovered and guide tourists around the territory (wine and food routes, etc.). The Report also shows how a “farm situated near a Protected Area or a Nature Park makes it significantly attractive to tourists on a national and interna- tional level”. The trend is toward offering holidays based on sport (for 46.4% of tourists), food and wine (15.2%) and local traditions (12.7%). Eco-tourists also want other activities available on their holiday: walking and trekking, cycle touring (mountain bikes and road bikes), wildlife observation, horse-riding, etc. regarding the place of origin of tourists in the target segment, against the back- ground of a general decline in foreign visitors to Italy in almost all areas of tourism, the foreign visitor share of ecotourism is stable (37.4%), with a slight decline in visitors from Europe, compensated by an increase in those from the rest of the world. Finally, the data presented at the International Nature Tourism Exchange indicate that 2009 saw a turnover of 10.7 billion euros, up 0.2% compared to 2008.

The ecotourism development of a territory is capable of acti- vating different sources of income that may soften the impact of a decline in visitor numbers due to international crises. Indeed, so- called other income (diversification of farm activities) represents a buffer against the economic–financial shock that has also affected the tourism industry over recent years.

Cross-referencing this analysis of the ecotourism macro trend with the results collected in the RSAC, new scenarios were created for the sustainable development of the Medio Campidano system which activate a new economic driving force for the local system (Wunder, 2000).

Results and discussion

The PSSE was completed in January 2012; using the RSAC results it was possible to clusterize the impacts of activities other than tourism (agriculture, zootechnics, second home building, sailing, fishing, etc.), which have medium and long term effects. At the same time, through a process of informing the public, an attempt was made to increase the sense of responsibility and begin to build a collective vision of compatible actions (setting up a website, con- ferences, focus groups, etc.) (Armitage et al., 2009) (see Fig. 4).

On the basis of the information acquired on the area of inter- vention and preliminary reflections, as well as the high degree of protection already in place and the positive results from the indicators (RSAC), it emerged that conservation may become a territorial development opportunity, transforming the view of pro- tection from one of restriction to one of opportunity, also through the possible setting up of a Protected Marine Area (Geneletti and van Duren, 2008; Gerhardinger et al., 2009; Ojeda-Martínez et al., 2009).

However, to date, the restriction laid down by the Management Plans is perceived as being a block to exploiting and developing the coastal areas of the territory and it is thus essential to set in motion a series of actions, in order to inform and educate the public and to

468 G. Ioppolo et al. / Land Use Policy 31 (2013) 460– 471

Knowledg e to supp ort decisions Being heard befo re decisions Having an influence on decisions Forming/Agreeing to dec isions

From LOW

Cohesion

To HIGH

Cohesion

• Publ ic Information;

• Pub lic Hearings ;

• Website;

• Conferences.

• Task forces;

• Advisory Group s;

• Facilitat ion;

• Interactive Works hops;

• Focus Group .

• Collaborat ive Problem

Solving;

• Themat ic tab les;

• As sisted N egotiation;

• Conciliation.

• Mediation;

• Join De cision Making.

Private Actor s:

• Individuals and weak social groups,

no-profit organizations, collective

economic actors, bank s, firms, etc.

HOW

realizes

partecipat ion

WHAT

needs to

decide

WHO

is inv olved

Public Act ors:

• Local Authorities, Regional

Gov ernament, Institutions, Publ ic

Authorities, etc.

Citizens hip:

• Families, children, scholarship s,

stud ent s, etc.

Multidisciplinary Multistakeholdes Pragmatic App roach

F gure s t and h

p c l m d t

v m e a

A t e t p a e

b l m i o t m a u i

w w h o t a

i g p t o e r o

ig. 4. A synthetic guideline for a collaborative participation adopted in PSSE. This fi o pass from low cohesion to high cohesion: who is involved, what needs to decide

romote correct management and use of the territory. Regarding ommunication and resource management actions, these can pub- icize and promote the site both externally and locally, so as to

ake the local population and visitors aware of the positive impacts eriving from eco-compatible activities in the coastal area and from he development of eco-tourism (Skewgar et al., 2009).

The overall result shows the need to move beyond isolated inter- entions in particular sectors in order to respond effectively to the ulti-dimensional problems of the local context, transforming the

nvironmental, social and cultural resources of the Arbus coastal rea into recognizable assets for economic development.

Moreover, the integrated action of diversifying tourism in the rbus coastal area, promoting the rapid development of eco-

ourism on the domestic and international market, may set off an mployment multiplier effect, increased by the creation of eco- ourism activities, also promoted and/or managed by the local opulation, with the aim of recovering local identity and crafts, llowing the local people to share in the income generated by the co-tourism industry.

In the light of the dynamic-relational SWOT results and the enchmark considerations, carry out that all the impacts are closely

inked to one another; indeed, aiming for the development of ass tourism, with consequent increase in numbers and lower-

ng of service quality in favor of quantity, has a knock-on effect f uncontrolled exploitation of the territory (for example, uncon- rolled building of second homes to be rented out in the summer

onths) and impoverishment of natural resources in the coastal rea. Indeed, the naturalistic system of Arbus is fragile, in partic- lar the dunes, and inappropriate exploitation would compromise

ts ability to regenerate. The protection of this system requires a series of adjustments

hich could easily be transformed into tourist attractions, such as ooden walkways and guided routes for tourists. “Unmanaged” uman pressure, on the other hand, could cause the loss or decline f the ecosystems in this area, with a reduction in biodiversity or he disappearance of target species, which are strong elements for ttracting “natural” or “eco-sustainable” tourism”.

The “external” threats to the territory become more significant f read in conjunction with the territory’s weak points: demo- raphic decline, linked to the threat of depopulation, the weak roduction system and poor entrepreneurship in turn influence he poor links between tourism and agriculture, abandonment

f the land and the loss of local knowledge and identity. The xisting restrictions placed on the territory of Arbus need to be eflected on as a whole, so that an overall strategy can be devel- ped for all variables; indeed, isolated interventions on individual

ynthesizes, in a strategic map useful to a decision making process, three key points ow realizes participation.

elements may prove to be ineffective or even counterproductive and damaging.

The greater difficulty of access to the Arbus coastline, in com- parison to other “sun and sea” tourist destinations, clearly indicates the contradiction of choosing a “mass tourism” strategy for this destination, which would prove to be strategically wrong and unsustainable in the medium term, as it would involve the “con- sumption” of local resources without effective and stable territorial development. Over the long term the effect would be that of loss of the natural and landscape features which are the most important factors for attracting tourists.

In this regard, territorial communication and marketing can advertise and promote the site both externally and locally, in order to make visitors and locals aware of the positive impacts deriving from eco-compatible activities along the coastline and the from the development of ecotourism. In the territorial environment analysis (RSAC) certain scenarios were hypothesized. Phase 2 saw the iden- tification, through public debate, with the help of an online forum, of the scenario most coherent with both the characteristics of the territory (synthesized above) and with the declared commitment of the Provincial authorities to sustainable development that pro- tects environmental quality and, at the same time, has a positive economic and employment impact on the whole Medio Campidano area (Himes, 2007). This scenario was defined as “optimal manage- ment of territorial resources for the sustainable development of the coastal system”.

Pursuing this scenario brings the following advantages:

• capacity to attract of ecotourism, constantly growing and much sought after for its greater spending capacity; this segment is characterized by a choice of destinations demonstrating high lev- els of environmental quality, with a strong historical–cultural identity, and offering typical local hospitality, crafts, food and drink (Weaver and Lawton, 2007);

• better positioning in relation to competitors for the same tourism segments, due to the coherence of strategic choices with aspects of value and the characteristic natural resources of Arbus;

• guarantee of important growth potential, even in the short term, for the territory of Arbus and in the Medio Campidano, and widespread entrepreneurial opportunities with resulting qual- ity employment, which favors stable and widespread income growth;

• development of tourism–agri-food ties, thus linking the two main strongpoints of the territory (naturalistic quality of the coast- line and specialized quality agricultural produce), along with enhancement of the cultural heritage;

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protection of native species and of the landscape mosaic (natural-flora, fauna; human-arable land use, villages, historical–archeological heritage, etc.); promotion of a qualified and prestigious image of the Medio Campidano at a national and international level.

This choice obviously involves an adequate budget in terms of nvestment and management, the lack of which could be an imped- ment to achieving the planned objectives. Certain effects linked to

lack of economic resources may be:

the quality tourism policy remains on paper only and is not trans- lated into concrete and effective actions; this lack of action risks paralyzing territorial management without generating develop- ment, thus devaluing the sustainable tourism policy in the eyes of the local population; Provincial and municipal authorities do not succeed in taking coherent and rapid action in support of the environmen- tal/territorial policy undertaken; lack of operational capacity to choose the investments to be made in order to realize the vision of quality tourism.

The conditions for achieving a scenario of environmen- al/territorial quality can be expressed as contextual conditions and rocess conditions.

The contextual conditions are the following:

widespread political consensus and consensus among the popu- lation regarding the choice of a policy of sustainable development through the growth of environmental tourism linked to the resources of the Medio Campidano; this consensus requires: ◦ continuous dialogue, involvement and communication with

the population of both Arbus, and of the other towns in the Province, achievable by listening, but also by promoting the project convincingly, with all the necessary flexibility;

◦ capacity to negotiate and involve economic operators and those proposing interventions so that these become coherent with the overall vision of sustainable development of the territory;

◦ strong and conscious leadership from politicians and adminis- trators, so as to develop a positive declination to their function of promotion and driving force, creating the contextual condi- tions for coherent investments;

strong involvement and commitment from economic operators in the Province, who are called on to invest, create jobs and income, within the sustainable development framework laid down by the authorities, through social dialogue; involvement of the Sardinian Regional Government and national and European authorities, who contribute, according to their respective roles, to the creation of a favorable climate for invest- ment coherent with preservation of the environmental quality of the territory; improvement of the image and rating of the coastal protected areas of the Medio Campidano, strengthening their territorial management and control tools with a view to conservation and enhancement for the purposes of ecotourism development; the implementation of policies for the promotion of and invest- ment in quality accommodation and restaurant facilities which generate entrepreneurial and employment growth, using the already existing excellent facilities as a benchmark; the development of policies for public mobility toward the coast, along with limitations to private mobility, with the aim of reduc-

ing environmental pressure on protected areas; the implementation of public policies to reward actions coher- ent with the scenario of sustainable development of high quality environmental tourism.

licy 31 (2013) 460– 471 469

The process conditions are the following:

• the creation of well identified niche tourism products, character- ized by the quality offered by the territory, and by a close tie with the local agri-food sector, but also with the cultural heritage of the Province;

• a marketing campaign targeted on the specific segments of ecotourism and environmental tourism, in coherence with the tourism products created;

• investments for creating ties with the agri-food sector and for safeguarding and enhancing the cultural heritage, starting with the Geo-mining Park and the widespread heritage of the Province;

• systematic and continuous training for those operating in local tourism and their employees, in order to provide tourists with a unique service coherent with the territory’s resources;

• optimal use of targeted sources of finance both for public invest- ments and for private investments in business activities relating to accommodation and those aimed at providing tourists with a high quality experience;

• interventions to be started up rapidly, both because response speed is a necessary condition for the success of the quality strat- egy and in order to have positive employment and income effects which would show that the strategy works and thus generate wider consensus for the chosen strategy among the local popu- lation.

The project scenario is based on certain strong features:

• consolidation of the protected area system around Arbus with the new marine reserve and the other protected areas in the Province, for a better contribution to the protection and improvement of the coastal area and its natural heritage;

• integration of the Arbus coastal area with the rest of the Campi- dano territory, so that the whole territory can develop and move from being an area in crisis and demographic decline to being a driving force for the whole Province;

• investment aimed at strengthening and qualifying the peculiar characteristics of the production, service and cultural system of the Campidano area, through new integration services with the coastal area (product clubs in which operators from different sec- tors compare notes, food and wine routes, cultural routes, etc.);

• plurality of services and functions (typical of areas experienc- ing growth and development toward a service and knowledge based society) which allows cross fertilization among the vari- ous activities of hospitality, tourism services, services for the local population. This exchange and interaction may set off a virtuous circle thanks to economies of proximity and the rich informal intersectorial exchange which is a driving force for innovation, thanks to cross fertilization; the more complex the range of func- tions and relations, the greater the capacity for system innovation and growth of a society capable of generating income and stabi- lizing the population;

• respect for the vocations of the various parts of the territory of the Medio Campidano area: ◦ tourism-accommodation in settlements already existing along

the coastline or which can be converted for this purpose; ◦ tourism-accommodation in the center of the town of Arbus, but

also in other surrounding villages and rural areas, which already

boast facilities of high quality which set an example for other operators;

◦ agri-food production on the Campidanese plain; ◦ crafts and services for towns in the Medio Campidano;

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◦ environmental education for potential structures in the pro- tected areas, and also for environmental associations operating in the various towns of the Medio Campidano;

optimal enhancement of the limited available spaces through a process of regeneration of built-up areas (currently under- utilized) to be used for new prestigious functions, transforming them into strongpoints for re-launching the territory; promotion of innovative tourism services, within a context of environmental management of the territorial system (for exam- ple, adoption of EMAS, ISO 14001 certifications to improving the competitive performance of the registered organizations – Iraldo et al., 2009; Petrosillo et al., 2012).

These strong points represent a roadmap for sustainable and cotourism development.

onclusions

This paper proposes a right direction to integrated management. he PSSE aims to identify the most coherent actions and the best orms of partnership for transforming ecotourism promotion into n economic driving force for the territory, in line with ICZM princi- les and by means of territorial diagnosis using active Management lans (Mc Kenna et al., 2008). The concrete effect of these actions emains to be seen from the viewpoint of unitary protection of oastal environmental resources linked to development of the local conomic system.

Long term commitment to the new system of eco-governance by government, policymakers, practitioners, stakeholders, aca- emics, etc.) will be the real lasting result of the PSSE, guaranteeing

ts implementation and positively facing up to possible causes of ailure (Shipman and Stojanovic, 2007). This highlights the com- lexity of human decision-making (Parker et al., 2008), which

ncreases in relation to the rank, role, competence and number of hose participating in decision-making processes (Fontalvo-Herazo t al., 2007).

With regard to public authorities, questions linked to biodiver- ity can be faced by adopting appropriate policies and strategies, hrough exchange of knowledge and experience, the forming of artnerships, correct management of land use, monitoring of biodi- ersity and optimal use of resources, or reducing consumption, and romoting environmental certifications, such as EMAS and/or ISO 4001 (Thompson et al., 2008). Local authorities undoubtedly have

central role to play in the protection of biodiversity and this strat- gy is successful above all when the authorities show strength by nvolving stakeholders in a credible environmental improvement roject and activating a transparent and effective communication olicy.

The PSSE sets out to achieve its functional aim by becoming n innovative format in local development processes. Indeed, as arly as Phase 1 of the PSSE, new-governance has moved its prior- ty interest from possible new infrastructures and services to the dea of constructing a territorial unicum, in which all social parties lay a role of guarantor of environmental quality. The eco-tourism rogram requires the development of a territorial conscience that

s aware of the negative effects of resource impoverishment on he local economy and quality of life. This indicates development f a new image which identifies itself with environmental attrac- iveness and with related chains of production, seen as the best rocess of interaction. In conclusion, the PSSE seeks to implement

nnovative actions in Sardinia as a possible way of developing a

erritorial environmental ‘brand’, but above all tries to transpose CZM themes onto the local context, indicating them as elements f competitiveness and promoting their harmonization throughout he territory.

icy 31 (2013) 460– 471

Acknowledgments

This research was made possible through the support of the Province Administration of Medio-Campidano and Studio FC&RR Associati S.r.l. with the support of ApriAmbiente SpA. Studio FC&RR Associati S.r.l. is a company specialized in Environment Planning and Management tools for territory development. Studio FC&RR Associates S.r.l., has developed the “Sustainable Development and Eco-tourism Program (PSSE in Italian)”. This Program, in which Giuseppe Ioppolo (first author of this paper) is the Scientific Coordinator, during the third edition of the Convergence nell’ICMT- Information, Communication & Media Technology, received from Confindustria Innovative and Technological Services, a special mention for “best management of environmental variables and economic and social processes of local development through the innovative use of ICT”.

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