What the experience of other countries has to teach us: the case of France.
Giorgos Catsadorakis
It is generally very difficult to transfer solutions from one country to another with very different political history, governance system, culture, legal body, institutional organization and mentality of the public.
Economic development and nature conservation in inhabited protected areas is really a challenge and there are no easy solutions anywhere in Europe.
The Natural Regional Parks of France present many –though superficial- similarities to the majority of the protected areas in Greece. The legislative, cultural, social, ownership and administrative organization of the two countries however exhibit substantial differences that must not be underestimated in any search to locate and draw experiences that could improve the administration system of the Greek protected areas.
Useful points drawn from an examination of the status and operation of the NRP in France are: They are proposed by the regional authorities themselves. There is a 10 year trial period until they become permanent. Their funding is shared among municipal, prefectural, regional, state and other sources. They have ensured budgets on a 3-5 year basis based upon management plans agreed upon and adopted by the stakeholders. Each one has a charter of principles for their management, based upon hierarchically ordered values to be preserved. There is a central coordination and support mechanism and a backing up by the state services to each NRP administration scheme.