Application of participatory method for beach management

Results from the application of a participatory approach in the final phase of a project (named SABBIA), aiming at improving beach management in the Liguria Region, are reported. A new methodology developed for the involvement of stakeholders and/or experts, called NetSyMod (Network Analysis-Creative System Modelling-Decision Support), was applied in order to test results obtained in the first phases of the SABBIA project and to further investigate local authorities and main stakeholders' point of view. Particularly, a specific workshop was organized, involving participants selected within regional and local authorities, technical institutions, universities and main tourism category associations. Main outputs of the workshop were: i) the definition of a specific and concerted conceptual model of the environmental and socio-economic framework in the considered coastal area, with a specific focus on beaches and ii) the evaluation of 12 management options (6 ongoing and 6 proposed interventions), contributing to the definition of new planning strategies for local sustainable beach management.