Local Societies and Their Voluntary Participation in the Management of Protected Areas in Greece

Publisher: Common Ground Publishing

E-ISSN: 2327-2155|10|3|19-38

ISSN: 2327-0047

Source: The International Journal of Civic, Political, and Community Studies, Vol.10, Iss.3, 2013-01, pp. : 19-38

Disclaimer: Any content in publications that violate the sovereignty, the constitution or regulations of the PRC is not accepted or approved by CNPIEC.

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Abstract

Environmental policy implemented in the protected areas of Greece aims at preserving the species and their habitats, while at the same time promoting the sustainable development of the local community. Research has shown that environmental management is far more effective when conducted with voluntary participation. Volunteer participation in special programs reinforces the achievement of environmental objectives, as it improves the effectiveness of the communicative strategies and provides the kind of human resources that can foster significant experience to specific target groups. The aim of this research is to look into the factors that actually influence the intention of the local population to take part in the management of the National Marine Park in Zakynthos, Greece. The factors that were investigated as exerting influence over the aforementioned intention were their socio–economic profile, their previous eco-friendly behavior, and finally, the insight the participating volunteers acquire via their contact with the action of Zakynthos National Marine Park. What is more, in the present research, the residents of Zakynthos National Marine Park areas appeared to have satisfying knowledge of the issues regarding the particular Park, a low participation involvement in various environmentally-friendly activities, while the majority partook in various voluntary initiatives. It is this intention that is relative to both demographics and their level of information.