Purpose

Understanding, documenting and thus strengthening the links between inhabitants and visitors in the Mediterranean Basin and its rich natural environment in wetland sites is the purpose of this project.

This would lead to increased social pressure for the conservation of the sensitive wetland sites in the region –currently under great pressure from urbanisation and other unsustainable development activities. In addition, it would enhance the interest in wetlands of visitors in the Mediterranean, thus providing additional income to local communities.

Objectives

Three main objectives have been defined:

• Disseminating the current knowledge on cultural actions in Mediterranean wetland sites.
  
• Monitoring the development of these actions, drawing conclusions from them and advising on their future development.
  
• Increasing the capacity of integrated management of both natural and cultural aspects in the region.

Activities planned

To achieve the above objectives, the following actions are planned:

• Making available the work carried out up to now through the final editing and publication of a book on the cultural aspects of Mediterranean wetlands.
  
• Follow-up and critical analysis of developments in the 21 selected wetland sites through questionnaires and site visits whenever required and dissemination of the results in printed and electronic form.
  
• Organisation of a Pan-Mediterranean Workshop on incorporating cultural aspects in the management of wetlands and editing of its proceedings. The participants will be on the one hand experts in nature conservation and in cultural aspects and on the other persons responsible for wetland management from the 21 sites identified up to now.
  
• Establishment and maintenance of an interactive website on Mediterranean wetland sites and on their cultural values. This will be the main tool in maintaining a network of concerned and responsible experts from around the Mediterranean and in encouraging exchange of experience and views, as well as transboundary co-operation wherever feasible.

Expected outputs

• Publications:
  - Action for culture in Mediterranean wetlands (in English and in French).
  - Strengthening action for culture in Mediterranean wetlands (in English).
  - Workshop Proceedings Nature and culture in Mediterranean Wetlands (in English, CD-ROM).
• Workshop with approximately 30 participants trained.
  
• Web site established and operating.

Time schedule

Three years, starting from July 2007 to June 2010

Funding sources

The project is supported financially by the MAVA Foundation.