Background Many of Europe's coastal zones share problems of deterioration of their environmental, socio-economic and cultural resources. Since 1996, the European Commission has been working to identify and promote measures to remedy this trend and to improve the overall situation in these areas. Compared to other continents, Europe has a large continental shelf and a relatively long coastline (89,000 km) in relation to its land area. Coastal zones vary considerably, each having its own distinct natural, economic and social features. Europe is where human impact has been greatest, and where changes in the environment have also been monitored and studied the longest. Coastal zones are of strategic importance to all Europeans. They are home to a large percentage of European citizens, a major source of food and raw materials, a vital link for transport and trade, the location of some of our most valuable habitats, and the favoured destination for our leisure time. Although the ecological, economic and social importance of natural coastal resources has long been acknowledged, they continue to deteriorate. Objectives The project proposes an integrated approach to the environmental protection and management problems presented by the coastal strip (sea and land) of nearly 445 km long spanning the three Apulian provinces of Taranto, Brindisi and Lecce. In these areas the presence of heavy urbanisation and industrialisation raises the risk of exposure of the coast to the combined effects of pollution and coastal erosion. The three provinces intend to implement a plan for the safeguard of the Ionian-Salentina coast through the following actions: identification in real time of all the hydro-turbid-medical and chemical-physical parameters, flora and fauna of the studied coastal zone; monitoring of the coast level and of the beach inclination; reduction of the effects of sea intrusion, be it due to accidental (release of hydrocarbons) or continuous (sewage waters) causes. An innovative project goal is to achieve a different relationship between the citizen and the territory, based on the principal of “identification”. The idea is that once a citizen identifies with a particular territory, he/she will assume respect for it, taking responsibility for its guardianship and, above all, for its exploitation. Results A floating platform was successfully developed and launched, with wireless applications to carry out real-time monitoring of water-quality along the coasts of the three provinces. This component of the project attracted interest from several public and private stakeholders and testifies to its potential for further application and possible replication in other contexts. - A pilot waste water treatment (WWT) plant was constructed alongside the existing depuration plant of Bellavista in Taranto. The pilot plant and the related tests and analyses were carried out successfully. The tests suggested a viable alternative to chlorine products for the depuration of wastewater. The waters depurated with H-peroxyde can also be reused in agriculture, which is an important issue in a region that is chronically affected by water shortages. - A supporting information campaign and environmental studies were carried out. E.g one study compared the public perception of the environmental status of the coastal areas of the three provinces with two foreign sites. - There were also studies and pilot actions implemented on erosion & dunes problems. These produced excellent documents, and contributed to one of the main results of the project: namely the harmonisation, among the three provinces, of the planning tools (in terms of cartography, methodology, approach). - The renovation of three coastal towers (one per province), and their use as environmental education centres, was also completed. A number of “environmental days” were organised at this site. - The dissemination activities were also well-organised, and the project website contains a wealth of documentation available for download. This useful material includes a cartoon handbook and a CD Rom, which was distributed to primary and secondary school children of the three provinces. It is a very useful tool to help increase environmental awareness among the provinces’ youngsters.