ECOCLUB, Issue 94
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3. NMZP authority applies close to the shore line, illegal buildings are are outside their mandate, but they do force lights and
music to stop by dusk. The ‘illegal’ houses are all old constructions, and neither the Ministry or any lesser authority can assume
the political cost of demolishing local people’s houses, enough to destroy a politician’s career in Greece.
4. NMZP has rebuilt bridges with local people, and is cooperating rather well with Archelon and WWF, but not with
MEDASSET, who they find non-constructive and attention-seeking.
5. Tourism infrastructure is necessary so as to limit tourism impact. The parking was necessary so that tourists and locals stop
parking on the beach, and learn to walk. A nesting museum has also been constructed, hosting schools and events. Local tourism
businesses have been convinced to retreat far back from the shore line in the past two years, providing ample space for nests,
that have shown a marked increase.
6. NMZP had its hands tied due to public sector hiring regulations that lead to the hiring of employees from Zakynthos island,
62 guards, half of whom have already quit. At the same time, not all NGO volunteers are serious enough, with the park
authorities having to expel some of them for holding night parties in protected beaches…
Our Assessment: Due to conflicting local interests, there is a half-deliberate confusion of responsibilities leading to impasse,
with various local and public bodies being co-responsible for the protected area. There are therefore legal short-comings tying
the hands of the NMZP. At the same time, there are chronically unrealistic protection plans in the face of local hostility. A
(continuation of a) stick and carrot policy, combined with use of intelligent technology (sensors, cameras and web-cams for
transparency), pricing mechanisms, taxes, and revenue-sharing with the local community, accompanied by increased monitoring
and constant education of tourist operators and tourists, may work. Tour boat crews must be re-licensed and re-trained, with
temporary and permanent bans for those unwilling to learn new ways. In terms of infrastructure, this must be reversible and
low-impact, and also include a creation of a fire protection corridor
especially as the rubbish dump is near.
Greater use of
properly trained and carefully selected volunteers should be made, along with a plan to win the hearts and minds of the new
generation on the island. A face to face meeting and tour on location, during the next high tourism season, where all sides would
be invited to participate, would go a long way to dispel misperceptions and miscommunications, and also provide a reality check
to all sides. All this requires MORE funding, and our lethargic Ministry of Environment & Public Works should realise it is far
more efficient to pay these in the first place – directly to the NZMP lest they get lost again – rather than to the EU in the form of
fines. At the same time, tourists must also contribute to nature protection, through the introduction of park fees, the greater part
of which must be directly offered to the local community, so that they can see for themselves that conservation pays!
What is hopefully becoming clearer to all concerned is that thanks to globalization and the power of the Internet, the
environment is no longer an externality that no one cares for, or which can be sacrificed for narrow & ill-conceived local
interests without this going unnoticed or unpunished. Ecotourists have a duty to speak up when they observe a violation of
environmental legislation, human or animal rights, in the conduct of tourism business!
We will continue to monitor the situation in Zakynthos and report as required. In the mean time, do you have a tourism &
