Project name: Promoting shared stewardship for Mediterranean Coasts
Acronym: COASTRUST
Program: Interreg Euro-MED
Lead partner: Region of Western Greece
Project partners: Regional Development Agency Dubrovnik-Neretva County – DUNEA, Department of Architecture – Roma Tre University, Andalusian Federation of Towns and Provinces – FAMP, Institute for Nature Conservation in Albania, Office of the Primeminister of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton Government, Sustainable Development Foundation SUBMON, Nature Trust Malta
Associated partner: University of Patras, The Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, XIII Mountain Community of the Lepini Ausoni Mountains, Nijar municipality, Prefektura Shkodër, Municipality of Neum, Domus De Maria Municipality, MUV Ltd
Project duration:
Project budget: 2.420.503,00 EUR
DUNEA's budget: 219.800,00 EUR
About the project:
The Mediterranean basin is one of the most important hotspots of biodiversity in the world in terms of the richness of species and ecosystems. Human activities and overexploitation of natural resources are resulting in ecosystem degradation and species loss at an alarming rate, requiring a coordinated transnational approach.
Sustainable use, management, protection or restoration of species, habitats or ecosystems aimed at preserving biological diversity implies the involvement of stakeholders from related economic sectors and citizens, all in accordance with the European political framework that promotes participatory approaches.
The project focuses on environmental management in a way that operates at the local and community level, which is reflected in the increasing impact on economic sectors that are influenced by ecological principles. The project applies environmental management in coastal areas exposed to the influence of anthropogenic pressures and results in the establishment of multi-stakeholder management mechanisms with the aim of improved management of natural resources on land and sea.
The project operates strategically at the methodological level, by ensuring the conditions for environmental management and creating a methodology for the further transfer of the COASTRUST approach beyond the scope of the project to the benefit of every citizen of the Mediterranean, and at the implementation level by supporting and monitoring the development of pilot activities. The project will develop a coastal management strategy and a series of activities for each target area according to its specificities, needs and environmental goals.