Addressing the links between science and the real world with a sound scientific baseline, Coastal Water Bodies targets researchers of various disciplines whose interest lies in the integrated sustainable management of coastal water bodies. The main topic of this book is not the ecology according to its accepted meaning, but rather the ‘places and people’ concerned – the coastal zones of the Mediterranean that are rich in ecological value and the local people who survive thanks to these environmental resources.
Integration is the joint consideration of different aspects of water uses and values, and new ways of understanding and managing conflicts around water use are needed if people are to benefit from integration. Sustainability of the ecological and socioeconomic environments requires a climate in which conflicts, if they need to exist, are properly managed in a non-destructive manner.
The case studies examined throughout the book differ from one another in both the environmental as well as the social aspects. The results of the research show that in each case the potential solution to conflicts about water use requires a threefold comparison between: 1) the various environmental values present in the site; 2) the competing social interests; 3) the emerging environmental and social values from point 1) and 2). Whichever solution is applied can be subjective, but is not necessarily arbitrary and solutions may differ from case to case.
Coastal Water Bodies
Coastal Water Bodies Nature and Culture Conflicts in the Mediterranean
Edited by
Felicita Scapini and Gabriele Ciampi
Editors Prof. Felicita Scapini Department of Evolutionary Biology “Leo Pardi” University of Florence Via Romana, 17 50125 Firenze Italy
[email protected]
Dr. Gabriele Ciampi Department of History and Geography University of Florence Via San Gallo, 10 50129 Firenze Italy
[email protected]
The research, whose results are presented in this book, was supported by the European Union in the framework of the WADI project, INCO-CT2005-015226, 6th Framework Programme. ISBN 978-90-481-8853-6 e-ISBN 978-90-481-8854-3 DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8854-3 Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2010926224 © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010 No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Cover illustration: Copyright Line: F. Scapini 2009 Photo text: Ghar El Melh Lagoon (Tunisia) researchers at work. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (www.springer.com)
Acknowledgements
This book is dedicated to the memory of one of the participants in the WADI project, Dr. Fatiha Amar Bou-Salah, who suddenly passed away, leaving her friends in grief, however rich of her teachings, example of life and peaceful attitude towards women and men of all cultures.
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Contents
1 Mediterranean Coastal Areas at Risk Between Conservation and Development................................................................ Felicita Scapini 2 Wetland Socioeconomy: The Case of Lake Maryut (Egypt).................. Mohamed A. Abdrabo and Mahmoud A. Hassaan 3 Integration of the Gender Dimensi