Europe, and many of the field measurements and estimations are performed for
the first time in all study areas. Let aside their economic evaluation with the most
state-of-the-art socio-economic methodology. The project’s overall objective is the
development of management scenarios which can be of use for the policymakers to
make informed decisions that can maximize the society’s well-being based on the
services they receive from those MPAs.
Essential Socio-economic and Cultural Variables offered by the Posidonia oceanic habitats were identified in the regional marine park of northern Karpathos Saria
and Astakidonision (Greece); the MPA of Kavo Gkreko (Cyprus); the protected area
of Ksamil Bay and islands – Stillo Cape – Tongo Island (Albania); and the Zostera
marina in the Natura 2000 of Gradina-Zlatna Ribka (Bulgaria).
The four study areas face similar threats and pressures based on underwater field
studies. Their current ecological status necessitated a choice of Ecosystem Services
(ES) to be researched that are both sites specific in order to provide the local
policymakers with information for decisions able to maximize local well-being
and important at a regional level in order to provide them with conclusions regarding
regional development.
In RECONNECT the use of Choice Experiment (CE) was considered the most
state-of-the-art method for the ES from these specific species (Vassilopoulos and
Koundouri 2017). The ES evaluated are fish abundance, sea water clarity, aesthetic
benefits, carbon sequestration, protection from erosion and preservation of underwater cultural heritage. An extra aspect was included as the most common pressure
in all areas which was the overfishing, while in the case of Cyprus, the impact from
massive tourism was incorporated as well.
The project’s innovation relies on the expansion of the existing socio-economic
technique for the evaluation of a category of ES that is not studied to date due to the
lack of standardized methodology and its difficulty to be captured. This is the
Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) referring to the physical and intellectual interactions, the sense of belonging or collective identity that people experience when
they snorkel or dive in areas with Posidonia seabed. It is also the ocean literacy,
research and promotion of education on the marine environment that accrues from its
conservation and protection. The two CES studied in RECONNECT are the
“aesthetic benefits” related to the enjoyment of sea wildlife that offers a sense of
unimpacted nature when people come in contact with the iconic or non-iconic
species hosted in Posidonia habitats with some of them being emblematic
(f.e. monk seals) and the protection of underwater cultural heritage related to
Posidonia’s ability to provide a protective matt above archaeological treasures. It
buries deeper sediments and provides the right conditions needed to preserve
underwater remains by locking out oxygen that otherwise degrades them.
14
P. Koundouri et al.
the first time in all study areas. Let aside their economic evaluation with the most
state-of-the-art socio-economic methodology. The project’s overall objective is the
development of management scenarios which can be of use for the policymakers to
make informed decisions that can maximize the society’s well-being based on the
services they receive from those MPAs.
Essential Socio-economic and Cultural Variables offered by the Posidonia oceanic habitats were identified in the regional marine park of northern Karpathos Saria
and Astakidonision (Greece); the MPA of Kavo Gkreko (Cyprus); the protected area
of Ksamil Bay and islands – Stillo Cape – Tongo Island (Albania); and the Zostera
marina in the Natura 2000 of Gradina-Zlatna Ribka (Bulgaria).
The four study areas face similar threats and pressures based on underwater field
studies. Their current ecological status necessitated a choice of Ecosystem Services
(ES) to be researched that are both sites specific in order to provide the local
policymakers with information for decisions able to maximize local well-being
and important at a regional level in order to provide them with conclusions regarding
regional development.
In RECONNECT the use of Choice Experiment (CE) was considered the most
state-of-the-art method for the ES from these specific species (Vassilopoulos and
Koundouri 2017). The ES evaluated are fish abundance, sea water clarity, aesthetic
benefits, carbon sequestration, protection from erosion and preservation of underwater cultural heritage. An extra aspect was included as the most common pressure
in all areas which was the overfishing, while in the case of Cyprus, the impact from
massive tourism was incorporated as well.
The project’s innovation relies on the expansion of the existing socio-economic
technique for the evaluation of a category of ES that is not studied to date due to the
lack of standardized methodology and its difficulty to be captured. This is the
Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) referring to the physical and intellectual interactions, the sense of belonging or collective identity that people experience when
they snorkel or dive in areas with Posidonia seabed. It is also the ocean literacy,
research and promotion of education on the marine environment that accrues from its
conservation and protection. The two CES studied in RECONNECT are the
“aesthetic benefits” related to the enjoyment of sea wildlife that offers a sense of
unimpacted nature when people come in contact with the iconic or non-iconic
species hosted in Posidonia habitats with some of them being emblematic
(f.e. monk seals) and the protection of underwater cultural heritage related to
Posidonia’s ability to provide a protective matt above archaeological treasures. It
buries deeper sediments and provides the right conditions needed to preserve
underwater remains by locking out oxygen that otherwise degrades them.
14
P. Koundouri et al.