Background Tourism on the island of Zakynthos has seen explosive development in recent years. This has placed an enormous pressure on the island’s landscapes and habitats, especially the nesting beaches of the endangered loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in Laganas Bay. The turtle is a priority species listed in Annex II of the EU’s Habitats Directive, and despite national legislation introduced by the Greek government in 1984 - in the form of a Presidential Decree, aimed at protecting the bay’s sea turtles - the law was being poorly enforced. This was mainly due to lack of knowledge of the conservation importance of the species, as well as to the success of the tourism industry on the island of Zakynthos. Tourism attracted new businesses and foreign tour operators to the island, who were unaware of the legislation or of the area’s environmental significance. Objectives The project’s objectives included: 1. To protect the environment within the National Marine Park of Zakynthos through on-site actions, and ensure minimal disturbance of the marine park’s species and habitats. This would involve the elaboration and implementation of an annual integrated wardening and awareness-raising plan. 2) To promote the idea of Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) and sustainable development, through local initiatives involving the area’s economic sectors including tourism and fishing. The aim was to draw up and implement a set of guidelines for good environmental practices, as well as to provide an opportunity for companies in the marine park area to register for the voluntary Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) initiative to improve their environmental performance. 3) To inform local people and visitors of the potential of environmental conservation and protection via integrated management and participation. 4) To provide the necessary on-site demonstration and guidance facilities to aid both the local population and visitors in the management and active participation in the protection of the area and conservation of its habitats and species. Results The project implemented most of its foreseen actions, effectively contributing to the protection of the environment within the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, and limiting to the minimum any disturbance to the species and habitats of the region. Main achievements were: • The promotion of environmental awareness and active public (local population and visitors) participation in integrated coastal management and sustainable development actions. • The promotion of volunteer work and stakeholder commitment through the development of commonly accepted codes of conduct (good environmental practices). • The promotion of the idea that local residents and visitors can coexist and that the natural environment can benefit from their cooperation. • The provision of the necessary on-site demonstration and guidance facilities to help local people and visitors to participate in activities to protect the area. Notably, for the first time after a long history of conflict on the island of Zakynthos, the project team was able to gain partial acceptance and support for ICZM and sustainable development measures. This was mainly thanks to a participatory and co-management process involving stakeholders, NGOs, local businesses, farmers and fishermen. Several actions were undertaken for the environmental management and protection of the area, including wardering, the placing of buoys, and training of local staff. A number of dissemination activities were also carried out. Activities included the construction of nature trails and demarcation fences, and the erection of boardwalks, observatories and information panels. Management studies were conducted for the coastal wetland of Keri, while international cooperation was successfully promoted. A network of protected Mediterranean marine areas was created and funded by other EU funding sources. The only action that was not completed was the implementation of EMAS at selected local businesses, although the preparatory studies and work was carried out. Environmental benefits included: • An improved implementation of protection measures within the national marine park. • More environmentally friendly activities by local operators. • A more effective conservation of the Caretta caretta sea turtle and other fauna and flora (both marine and terrestrial) of the area of Zakynthos Trespassing by visitors and local people was significantly reduced, and the demarcation of the marine area using buoys has gradually aided the control of recreation and visitors' boats. This has reduced the dangers to the turtles and to the rest of the area’s unique marine habitats. The carefully chosen anchoring system for the buoys also avoided the destruction of high biodiversity Posidonia seagrass beds (a priority conservation habitat classified under Annex I of the Habitats Directive). The innovative aspect of the project lies in the high visibility it has brought to Greece’s first fully operational marine park. This was the first time a systematic wardening programme was launched, and the project developed innovative techniques for delineation of marine areas, respecting Posidonia beds. This project has been selected as one of the 22 "Best" LIFE Environment projects in 2006-2007