CHAPTER 29
Development of a DSS for the Integrated Development of Thassos
Island
H. Coccossis and K. Dimitriou
ABTSRACT: The development of a decision support system for the integrated
development of Thassos Island (Greece) is the focus of a research program undertaken
by the University of Aegean. The system will be based on the GIS ArcInfo. The
evaluation of economic and social activities and ecological processes affecting the
island will be based on the use of a database of Sustainability Indicators linked to the
GIS. Since Thassos represents a typical Mediterranean ecosystem with intensive
human pressure the principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management will be the base
for the DSS. The proposed system will serve strategic planning purposes.
DSS in ICAM
Coastal areas are extremely valuable as they concentrate a rich diversity of natural
habitat areas and a large variety of natural resources (Carter, 1988). As the interface
area between land and sea, coastal areas are extremely important and fragile from an
ecological perspective and should be carefully managed. Among the main limiting
factors in the sustainable development of coastal areas are the conflict of interests and
the complexity of jurisdiction between the various national, regional and local
authorities dealing with the regulation of different activities and uses of coastal
resources (UNEP/MAP/PAP, 1995).
The main objective of Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM) is to
bring these concerns together within a unified management plan. Although the coordination of the different decision making forums and economic interests of the coast
for the multisectoral planning of sustainable development is assumed, in practice,
ICAM involves often the preparation of a strategic plan for the coastal area stating the
415
D.R. Green and S.D. King (eds.), Coastal and Marine Geo-lnformation Systems, 415–424.
© 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.
Development of a DSS for the Integrated Development of Thassos
Island
H. Coccossis and K. Dimitriou
ABTSRACT: The development of a decision support system for the integrated
development of Thassos Island (Greece) is the focus of a research program undertaken
by the University of Aegean. The system will be based on the GIS ArcInfo. The
evaluation of economic and social activities and ecological processes affecting the
island will be based on the use of a database of Sustainability Indicators linked to the
GIS. Since Thassos represents a typical Mediterranean ecosystem with intensive
human pressure the principles of Integrated Coastal Zone Management will be the base
for the DSS. The proposed system will serve strategic planning purposes.
DSS in ICAM
Coastal areas are extremely valuable as they concentrate a rich diversity of natural
habitat areas and a large variety of natural resources (Carter, 1988). As the interface
area between land and sea, coastal areas are extremely important and fragile from an
ecological perspective and should be carefully managed. Among the main limiting
factors in the sustainable development of coastal areas are the conflict of interests and
the complexity of jurisdiction between the various national, regional and local
authorities dealing with the regulation of different activities and uses of coastal
resources (UNEP/MAP/PAP, 1995).
The main objective of Integrated Coastal Area Management (ICAM) is to
bring these concerns together within a unified management plan. Although the coordination of the different decision making forums and economic interests of the coast
for the multisectoral planning of sustainable development is assumed, in practice,
ICAM involves often the preparation of a strategic plan for the coastal area stating the
415
D.R. Green and S.D. King (eds.), Coastal and Marine Geo-lnformation Systems, 415–424.
© 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands.