In the framework of the project SEA MARVEL, the Work Package 4 “Raising Awareness” aims at offering to the citizens living in the neighbouring areas of the Natura 2000 sites (in Sicily: MPA Cyclopean Isles, MPA Pelagie Islands, MPA Capo Milazzo and ONR Oasi Del Simeto; in Malta: Ghar Lapsi and Filfla Area and the area surrounding the Island of Gozo) useful initiatives able to transform their habits in favour of the protection of the sea and the environment. In this way, it will be possible for them to manage, in a sustainable manner, marine and coastal resources, while also changing their behaviours.
Besides supporting Natura 2000 sites’ managers through the analysis and the drafting of special and personalized Guidelines to improve their management and involve local stakeholders, the WP 4 encourages the purchase of “Toolkits”, namely equipment and supporting tools useful to the sites to assure an increased and improved involvement of the local population and visitors. Such approach will increase environmental awareness and spread knowledge on the biodiversity living in these local natural areas.
In order to define which purchases could effectively be useful to the 4 sites in Sicily, the research team from the University of Catania has carried out a joint analysis with the managers of the areas, in order to find out which where their specific needs. Afterwards, they combined the results with the project metric data so as to have an overview of the feasibility and the aims of the purchase itself.
Aerial view of the Capo Milazzo Marine Protected Area
The Marine Protected Area Capo Milazzo manages both its coastal and marine part and a wide terrestrial area with pathways and walkable areas, although it is not always easy to access them. The analysis carried out highlighted that the whole inland area was totally inaccessible to people with impaired mobility. Sea Marvel focused its efforts precisely on this issue, since the project aims at matching the principles of environmental sustainability together with those of inclusiveness and social sustainability.
Zoning map of MPA Capo Milazzo
Once defined the objective – that is to provide to people with impaired mobility access to the pathways of the MPA – a market survey was carried out to explore the options available and which mean of transport could carry one or two people at a time, together with a third passenger and the driver. The survey showed that the small vehicles generally used on golf courses (the so called golf car) could efficiently respond to such need. Therefore, after additional research, the team decided that this kind of vehicle necessarily had to be an electric one; for this reason, the choice resulted in the purchase of a 4-seater electric golf car with lithium battery.
The vehicle, branded with the logos of both Sea Marvel and the MPA Capo Milazzo, has already been delivered to the managing body which, through a loan for use contract with Di3A, will be able to continue in its work and raise awareness on environmental and biodiversity issues, finally allowing new visitors to reach those areas in the name of the often-neglected principle of inclusiveness.
“Thanks to project Sea Marvel we were able to purchase an electric vehicle and to allow people with impaired mobility to visit the extraordinary beauties along the pathway. Accessibility, inclusiveness and a sustainable use of such resources are the main objectives of the Marine Protected Area Capo Milazzo.” – stated the President of the MPA Capo Milazzo, Giovanni Mangano.
