AdriaPAN: a bottom-up network in the Adriatic Sea
AdriaPAN, the Adriatic Protected Areas Network, is a bottom-up initiative, started by 2 Italian marine protected areas, Miramare and Torre del Cerrano.
The aim of the network is to make contacts between Protected Areas in the Adriatic easier, to improve their partnership effectiveness, both in management and planning activities.
AdriaPAN is a growing network with a great potential for joining efforts in environmental protection, sustainable development.
10 Italian Protected Areas, both marine and coastal, initially signed the Cerrano Charter, the founding act of AdriaPAN. Now the number has increased. It counts about 40 members from all countries bordering the Adriatic Sea, and more than 30 associated organizations (institutions, NGOs, businesses, etc.) interested in collaborating on AdriaPAN initiatives.
Joining the network is free and the only requirement is to officially subscribe the Cerrano Charter, to achieve the mission herein defined.
Within the Adriatic Sea and along the Adriatic coast, there are more than 200 Protected Areas recognized by national and international law.
The need for effective coordination and cooperation between Adriatic MPAs led in 2008 to set up AdriaPAN, the Adriatic Protected Areas Network.
AdriaPAN is an integral part of the wider MedPAN (network of Marine and Coastal Protected Areas managers in the Mediterranean), within such network it represents and promotes the ecological, cultural and economic specificities of the Adriatic Sea and coast.
The main objective of the network is to initiate a technical process in support of all MPA managers and staff in the Adriatic, by providing services to improve effective management. It aims at sharing energies and knowledge to promote common programmes of international and regional cooperation for environment protection, sustainable development, green tourism and biodiversity conservation.
A common, web-based, communication tool promotes MPAs and their activities. The portal also keeps track of conferences, seminars, meetings or initiatives, creating permanent contacts within the network. The cross-border integration of protected areas contributes significantly to their promotion, accordingly to their capability of being economically self-sustained and effective.
The network has great potential to protect biodiversity, cultural heritage and landscape. AdriaPAN, in fact, has carried forward several EU-level projects (such as Serenissima, Hearth of Adria, Ritorno, ReSCWe, BySEAcle, ChaMon, TEA, PANforAMaR) and is now developing and implementing regional strategies, plans and programmes.
In 2008 AdriaPAN has been internationally recognized during an event promoted by MedPAN, at the IUCN “IV World Conservation Conference”. In 2010 the network has also been recognized by AII (Adriatic-Ionian Initiative), an international organization coordinated by the Foreign Ministers of the Adriatic countries (Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia) for the constitution of a EU Adriatic Macroregion.
