Application of an ecosystem-based spatial management approach in a coastal area in western Greece

Abstract

Coastal areas in the EU are usually subjected to various anthropogenic pressures, with growing conflicts among economic activities. The FP7 project MESMA has developed a flexible framework to monitor and evaluate Spatially Managed Areas (SMAs) in both coastal and offshore waters and has tested it in nine case studies, one of which is a region in western Greece, including the Inner Ionian Archipelago and the adjacent gulfs. One of the first steps of the approach is to provide visualization of the main ecosystem components and human activities /pressures, on the basis of existing spatial information and expert judgment, addressing also issues related to data uncertainty. GIS tools were used for mapping ecosystem components, and main human activities. As substantial overlapping was identified between ecological features and human pressures, an effort was made to apply the principles of systematic conservation planning using the decision making tool Marxan, in order to propose scenarios aiming to contribute to the sustainable management of the area under study. Interaction with key stakeholders coming from various action arenas revealed the need for developing and enforcing more coherent and transparent strategies engaging endusers in the process.