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During August 2021, a wildfire outbreak in Evia, Greece’s second largest island, resulted in a major environmental and economic crisis. Apart from biodiversity and habitat loss, the disaster triggered a financial crisis because it wiped out wood-productive forests and outdoor areas that attract visitors. This crisis highlighted the need for a new governance model in order to respond to environmental crises more effectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the acceptance and attitudes of relevant stakeholders towards establishing a Hub—a proposed governance model responsible for monitoring and restoring the natural capital and biodiversity after environmental crises. Results based on quantitative data collected via questionnaires showed that most respondents were positive to the Hub and perceived that its main functions should be to recommend measures after environmental crises and to facilitate cooperation among involved stakeholders. Moreover, results pointed to preferred funding sources, stakeholder groups that should participate in the Hub and key performance indicators (KPIs) for monitoring Hub’s performance. The applied methodology could guide the establishment of governance models both in the study area and other countries facing environmental crises.

Tourism is arguably one of the most promising options for economic prosperity in rural areas. Effective strategies aiming at tourism development, however, should be based on a thorough analysis of residents' preferences as well as visitors' expectations and satisfaction. Hence, the aim of this paper is to investigate residents' views on tourism development and the contribution of various productive sectors to local development as well as to examine event visitors’ views and satisfaction level in a rural area in Greece. Results based on quantitative data collected via questionnaires showed that the residents perceived that nature-based types of tourism should be developed and preferred Greek rather than foreign investors to be involved in tourism development. Moreover, the majorities of visitors attending events regarded the study area as a value-for-money destination and experienced positive emotions during their stay. In addition, half of visitors attending a Christmas event expressed their willingness to attend the event again in the future whereas most film festival visitors were significantly less willing to do so. Moreover, the visitors of all events were highly satisfied with the natural environment in the destination. Finally, it may be concluded that events are able to establish areas as value-for-money destinations and to contribute to local development. The results presented in this paper may be particularly useful to local authorities and stakeholders involved in the development of tourism in rural areas both in Greece and elsewhere.

Abundant research has focused on the public acceptance of renewable energy sources (RES) since their successful implementation is often dependent on the public. Yet, little is known about the attitudes of university students towards RES whose study field is related to the environment, even though the mindset of these students is considered relevant since they are possible experts in the RES field. To contribute to this neglected research strand, this paper aims to explore the awareness about and attitudes towards RES of students majoring in the Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources at the Democritus University of Thrace in Greece. Results based on quantitative data collected via questionnaire show that the surveyed students support renewables and have awareness about the current polluting energy system. Moreover, they have positive environmental attitudes and fully recognize the need for energy transition. Finally, there are significant differences among students from different years of study, highlighting that fourth- and fifth-year students take greater interest in working in the RES sector after they complete their studies.

Public attitudes are increasingly viewed as a hindrance to the implementation of renewable energy sources (RES). Despite the general support for renewables, public attitudes to specific projects can be negative and conflicts are often created between the public and project leaders. For this reason, there is abundant research work on public attitudes to renewable energy (RE), but understanding these attitudes is still challenging due to dissimilar research methodologies and different contexts. A review of research on public attitudes toward renewable energy in general and the different renewable types in the countries of the European Union (EU) was carried out for this chapter. It is concluded that the public in these countries is familiar with and has positive attitudes to renewable energy in general. However, there is a clear preference for solar energy and considerable skepticism to wind energy mainly due to its visual intrusion into the natural landscape. In addition, there is substantial evidence that the support for renewable energy is driven by environmental values and concerns, particularly about climate change. These findings are promising, but also suggest that further work is required to understand profoundly the dynamics of public attitudes.

Investments in renewable energy have taken a center-stage discussion among policymakers and several incentives are now provided to landowners to encourage them to install photovoltaics on their land. However, such investments remain below their potential and thus insights into what affects potential investors’ decision are needed. This study focuses on landowners who are willing to install photovoltaics on their farmland and analyzes the effect of various factors on the amount of money they would pay in order to install photovoltaics on their land. According to our analysis, landowners’ personal view on the profitability of the investment, the degree to which they agree with the installation of solar parks in a location visible from their residence and the hectares of the dry and irrigated land they own, explain the amount of money the landowners would invest in photovoltaics. The findings of the present study may be particularly useful to policymakers and may help them prepare practical and attractive propositions for potential investors thereby improving the existing investment environment for photovoltaics on farmland.

Renewable energy production is undergoing an unprecedented expansion across Europe but investments are still required in order to transition to a sustainable energy future. A deeper understanding of the factors affecting landowners’ decision to invest in photovoltaics and the barriers preventing such investments is critically important for policymakers and energy developers. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the economic and environmental factors affecting the decision to invest in photovoltaics as well as to investigate the barriers inhibiting such investments among landowners in a Greek rural area who are willing to invest in photovoltaics. Results obtained via structured questionnaires show that the investment decision is highly and positively affected by economic advantages. In specific, earning a stable income, reduced electricity costs and low taxation on investment are the most important economic factors. The respondents are also driven by their desire to contribute to flora and fauna conservation as well as to the reduction of air pollution which is caused by conventional energy production. However, high interest rates on bank loans for renewable energy investments along with high initial capital requirement prevent respondents from making such investments. The results presented in this paper not only assist a more thorough understanding of the factors and barriers affecting investments but also consist a basis for improving the relevant policies to facilitate the implementation of investments in renewable energy.

As the impact of green space shrinkage in urban centers becomes obvious, local and regional authorities must adopt environmental planning policies that can help create new green areas to ensure a good quality of life for citizens, along with the rehabilitation of the natural environment. One approach is the promotion of green infrastructure on buildings, including multi-dwelling apartment buildings. In order to effectively promote green infrastructure on buildings, it is essential to comprehend public attitudes toward green infrastructure, so that suitable and effective strategies can be implemented by policy makers. In this study, eight hundred respondents were asked to provide their views on green infrastructure on buildings, on construction that should take place on blocks of apartments in order to accommodate green infrastructure and on the related benefits that may arise from creating green spaces on buildings. A structured questionnaire and stratified sampling were used for the interviews, which were conducted with apartment owners in two regional units of Athens. The results showed that most citizens are willing to proceed with the installation of a green roof, trellis or vertical garden, in order to improve the aesthetics and functionality of the building they live in. Most of the respondents are not familiar with the energy savings that may occur from the installation of a green roof, vertical trellis or garden and wish for a subsidy from the state in order to implement green building solutions. To conclude, the participants in our study are not environmentally aware, since they are not interested in energy conservation but only about the aesthetics of their building; furthermore, they expect to receive financial support from the state in order to make any changes to their home.

Humans have been using fossil fuels for centuries, and the development of fossil fuel technology reshaped society in lasting ways [...]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to outline the views of citizens on issues related to energy saving and the realization of bank products in buildings under renovation such as energy saving interventions in the building envelope, installment of maximum efficiency air-conditioning systems, etc. Design/methodology/approach The collection of data was done through a structured questionnaire. The data are important because they show the attitudes of citizens while they simultaneously assess the effectiveness of the program after the application for many years of the energy saving program by the state. Findings The results of the research show that with regard to responsible actions by citizens as far as impacts on climate change are concerned, cognitive factors are more important than behavioral factors. The most important reason with regard to citizens restricting the consumption of electrical energy is saving money. Finally, the vast majority of citizens declare that they know about the existence of “green” bank financial programs and claim that these contribute to environmental protection. Despite all this, a very small percentage of citizens have realized some sort of financial program in order to save energy claiming that the main reason for their choice was the country’s economic crisis. Originality/value This investigation of the views of citizens may constitute a tool both for designing of effective environmental policy but also for the assessment of energy saving programs such as the one discussed in this paper.

Alternative crops, combined with modern farming methods, are integral parts of the new agricultural model and dominant priorities of agricultural policy. The new conditions created in the internal and global markets of agricultural products indicate significant opportunities for growing alternative crops and for the introduction of modern farming practices and processing. The present study aims to assess the factors that determine the landholder’s decision to uptake an alternative crop. Primary data were gathered through a quantative survey (in-depth interviews) with landholders in two remote and less-favored prefectures of Northeastern Greece, and were analysed through a logistic regression model. The results indicate that the most significant determinants for adopting an alternative crop involve the scientific support to farmers, the development of product demand in the market, the creation of agricultural cooperatives, the development of promotional campaigns for the alternative products, the education and knowledge regarding alternative crops, and the landholder’s satisfaction with income. On the contrary, negative factors to their decision refer to exports development, product subsidies, landholder’s age, membership to a cooperative in its current form, and satisfaction with pesticides prices. Despite the dominance of conventional agriculture models and varieties, the new favorable investment conditions can spur the promotion of alternative crops.

Highlights • Respondents were angry and concerned about the pandemic. • Female students experienced fear, panic, concern and despair more than male students. • Male students were more optimistic about the pandemic. • The measures that mostly affected respondents were the closure of universities and online learning. • Most students did not commit to daily outdoor exercise even though they could., University life has changed profoundly due to social distancing measures to control the spread of COVID-19. Over the longer term, the coronavirus crisis may affect the mental health of undergraduate students who are required to cope with remote options and forgo the usual campus life. The aim of this study is thus to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on undergraduate students’ mental health and daily life in order to assist policymakers improve pandemic control plans and help educators and healthcare experts provide support to affected undergraduates. Results are based on quantitative data collected via online questionnaires which were completed by 181 Greek undergraduate forestry students. The analysis indicated that the students were highly affected by the closure of universities and the transition to distance learning. Moreover, they experienced negative emotions, mostly concern and anger, during the lockdown. T-test showed that female respondents experienced strong negative emotions like fear, panic and despair to a higher degree than male students who were more optimistic about the pandemic. Surprisingly, the students did not exercise outdoors every day even though it was allowed during the 42-day quarantine. In addition, they used mostly television and scientific articles to obtain information about COVID-19. The results presented in this study offer insights into university students’ experience with the pandemic and reveal their reaction to remote education. It is recommended to monitor university students’ mental health frequently and to provide them with psychological counselling and practical advice on how to manage anxiety and fear. Finally, education and training on remote learning could help reduce students’ anxiety over online classes and exams.

In Greece, lignite has played a key role in energy security and has delivered notable social benefits such as local employment. Since mining projects affect profoundly the life of residents living in the vicinity of these projects, the understanding of residents' attitudes to lignite mining assumes a great importance as it can guide the design of policies. Hence, this study investigates the attitudes towards new investments in lignite mining among residents living near Greece's largest lignite center which is located in Western Macedonia. Results showed that a considerable share of residents desired new lignite projects and categorical regression analysis revealed that men desired new lignite plants more than women while, in terms of occupation, workers, undergraduate students, unemployed and private employees desired new lignite investments more than public employees and farmers. In addition, this study segmented survey respondents into three attitude groups (positive, neutral and negative) based on their desire for new lignite plants in their vicinity to indicate how the views of each attitude group on various topics related to resource extraction differentiate. As lignite phase-out is approaching in Greece, the findings of the present study may be particularly useful to policymakers in order to design a more socially acceptable decommissioning plan.

Agriculture has been attracting severe criticism due to the negative impact of its practices on the environment while many voices have been advocating the need for adopting sustainable farming practices. If such fundamental changes are to be made, farmers are charged with a critical role since their actions have a profound effect on the environment. Therefore, it is fundamental to understand farmers' attitudes towards farming practices and especially of those farmers performing farming activities in protected areas. Hence, the present study aims to investigate crop and livestock farmers' attitudes towards sustainable agriculture in the protected area of Lake Pamvotis in Greece in order to draw conclusions on their behaviour. Overall, our results demonstrated that both crop and livestock farmers had positive attitudes and conformed to regulations protecting the environment from the adverse effects of agriculture, however, significant room for improvement was detected both in terms of sustainability and business development.

The understanding of residents' profile and attitude toward local development is critically important since it can guide the efforts to promote local development especially in rural areas which suffer economic disadvantage. Using categorical principal components analysis, categorical regression and cluster analysis, this paper identifies resident types in the Regional Unit of Drama in Greece based on the variables constituting local development and the factors contributing to local development. According to our analysis, the desire for development and development potential were the most important dimensions in local development and these dimensions were affected by participants' demographic characteristics. Moreover, there were three types of residents with the majority belonging to the first type which expressed a positive desire for development and perceived that the region involves a moderate development potential. Moreover, the results can be used to highlight implications for policymakers and local authorities as well as to point to opportunities for future research.

The aim of this paper is to identify groups of citizens and their characteristics so that effective climate change communication strategies can be designed. The research was carried out from January 2014 to June 2015, 1536 questionnaires were completed which were evaluated on the basis of the co-efficient α-Cronbach, descriptive statistics, Friedman’s non-parametric criterion, factor analysis and cluster analysis. The research showed that Greek citizens think that the most important concerned parties for taking action against climate change are environmental organizations, scientists and local citizen environmental groups. In addition, two groups of citizens were identified. In the first group belong mostly citizens aged 31–40 and less citizens aged 41–50, married, mainly graduates of secondary and tertiary education, most are public servants or unemployed and satisfied from governmental activities regarding municipal projects concerning adaptation, energy saving and lifelong learning. In the second group of citizens also belong young to middle age citizens, unmarried, who mainly work in the public and private sector, who are satisfied both from the activities of non-governmental concerned parties as well as governmental activities regarding adaptation to extreme environmental phenomena, mitigation and waste management.

Climate change no longer constitutes a prediction for the future but it is already occurring. For this reason what is necessary is both the adaptation of citizens to new changes as well as action by the scientific community and by the bodies involved in the fight against climate change. Thus, the bodies will need to organize and undertake effective action which will encourage citizens to participate in such actions in order to adapt to future impacts. The aims of this research are, on the one hand, the investigation of the characteristics which influence participation in activities and, on the other hand, the discovery of specific characteristics with regard to citizen preferences. In order to achieve its aims this research used a structured questionnaire and 1536 questionnaires were collected from January 2014 to June 2015. The main results include that younger citizens greatly trust scientists, show great willingness for voluntary action and get their information on climate change through documentaries. Also, those with higher educational level trust the actions of non-governmental bodies while middle aged citizens and secondary education graduates trust the actions of governmental bodies while older citizens prefer activities for the reduction of pollutants.

Climate change is one of the most serious contemporary problems of our planet. Efforts to reduce the impact of climate change are crucial. The consequences of rising global temperatures will be very serious for humans and the environment unless urgent action is taken everywhere to reduce emissions. Renewable energy is very important in mitigating global greenhouse gas emissions by radically lowering the emissions profile of the planet’s energy system. In addition, beyond the use of renewable energy sources, the materialization of a sustainable energy future also requires citizen participation in decision making processes. For this purpose all bodies responsible for the realization of a sustainable future, such as schools and means of mass communication, need to equip people with the knowledge, attitudes and skills they need to successfully deal with the challenges in front of them. The aim of this chapter is to investigate the opinions and emotions of elementary school pupils with regard to climate change and renewable sources of energy. For the collection of data a semi-structured questionnaire and cluster sampling were used and 632 questionnaires were completed by pupils of 5th grade (aged 11) and 6th grade (aged 12) in 17 elementary schools in the Prefecture of Evros. The research was carried out in May and June 2016. The results of the research showed that 56.5% of the pupils think that in order to deal successfully with many environmental problems, the use of renewable sources of energy is very important. In particular, boys as opposed to girls, think that renewable energy sources play a key role in dealing with environmental problems, and 5th grade pupils think that renewable energy sources are very important for the protection of the natural environment, as opposed to 6th grade pupils who think otherwise. The investigation with regard to the emotions of pupils as far as the issue of climate change is concerned, revealed that what most pupils feel, is interesting with regard to how this matter will evolve. Also, from the two factors extracted the first contains “positive emotions” and the second “negative emotions”. In the first factor belong the variables concern, fear and interest and in the second factor belong the variables pessimism, anger and anxiety. Finally, almost one in three pupils usually or always expresses his concern regarding the consequences of climate change, is not at all optimistic about climate change and usually or always expresses the anxiety he feels regarding the various dimensions of the issue. In addition, regarding the impacts of climate changes one in two pupils feels fear or anger.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach regarding the management measures for solving environmental problems in protected areas. Two neighboring protected areas with different features were chosen in order to investigate the similarity of the environmental problems with regard to these two areas and if it is possible for these problems to be solved through a network of protected areas. Design/methodology/approach – The research was carried out through the use of a questionnaire which was distributed to the inhabitants and visitors of both areas, as well as through interviews with the representatives of organizations responsible for the management and administration of those areas and representatives of the municipalities and the regional authorities these two national parks belong to. Simple random sampling was applied to the inhabitants and cluster sampling to the visitors. Findings – The results show that with regard to the visitors the most important problem is illegal hunting while for the inhabitants equally important is the problem of pollution and cleanliness. However, those responsible with the management of the two National Parks think that the greatest threat to the wider area is the problem of floods. Originality/value – The views of the stakeholders in a given time, provides us with the best possible information for solving the problems faced and can be used as a tool for increasing the effectiveness of the measures which have been taken to deal with the particular problems.

The region of the Sporades islands located in central Greece is at the mercy of many natural phenomena, such as earthquakes due to the marine volcano Psathoura and the rift of Anatolia, forest fires, floods, landslides, storms, hail, snowfall and frost. The present work aims at studying the perceptions and attitudes of the residents regarding how they face and manage natural disasters. A positive public response during a hazard crisis depends not only upon the availability and good management of a civil defense plan but also on the knowledge and perception of the possible hazards by the local population. It is important for the stakeholders to know what the citizens expect so that the necessary structures can be developed in the phase of preparation and organization. The residents were asked their opinion about what they think should be done by the stakeholders after a catastrophic natural disaster, particularly about the immediate response of stakeholders and their involvement and responsibilities at different, subsequent intervals of time following the disaster. The residents were also asked about the most common disasters that happen in their region and about the preparation activities of the stakeholders. Research Center for Spatial and Organizational Dynamics (CIEO); Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia

The adoption of alternative farming practices is regenerates production methods towards new directions, while comprises a new development path for less favoured areas (LFAs). Engaging in off-farm income generation activities can create new standards for employment, new professions and new midd le-c lass employees that will support development despite the downturn in trad itional agricultural activities. The present study examines the attitudes and perceptions of landowners regarding various options for rural development and the existence of alternative prospects for enhancing primary production, family income and, consequently, quality of life. Primary data were gathered through personally administered interviews (using a structured questionnaire) in the prefectures of Rodopi and Evros that were analyzed through multivariate data analysis methods. The results indicate the non-existence of significant d ifferences between the two regions. The majority of respondents consider the state and political parties as being responsible for environmental problems and they argue that future regional development may depend on agriculture and livestock production. Furthermore, most of them wish to engage in alternative crops like truffle, pomegranate and dogwood and the reasons behind such a decision are the competitive profile of and increased demand for such products, along with state subsidies.

The shift towards alternative crops may comprise an efficient way for creating a new productive, developmental model for the country. These crops support the agricultural economy, contribute to the protection of the environment, keep the rural population at the countryside and increase the wealth of less favored or disadvantaged regions. In this paper, we attempt to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of landowners in the prefectures of Rodopi and Evros, regarding investments in alternative crops. The results indicate that there are no substantial variations between the two regions. More specifically, the majority of landowners wish for their area's future development to be based on agriculture and alternative crops, and in parallel want to be trained on new agricultural production methods through seminars focusing on alternative crops.

In recent decades, there has been an increasing interest in public participation in decision-making processes, due to a whole range of factors, but mainly because society is showing an ever increasing mistrust in governments. Furthermore, through public participation, citizens are given the opportunity to provide information regarding the physical and biological properties of a region, which may not have been detected by the experts involved in developmental policy decisions, but could prove substantial for planning purposes. This situation is further aggravated when, on the one hand, decisions related to economic growth need to be taken which involve mortgaging the environment, sometimes with an irreversible effect and, on the other hand, when such investments can provide thousands of jobs in a country currently experiencing the fifth year of the recession. The relevant research was carried out in Northeast Halkidiki using a structured questionnaire, in order to examine the views of the local residents on issues pertaining to the economic growth of the area and its impact on the environment. The research results show that the residents wish for local development to focus on tourism and livestock farming and hold governmental bodies responsible for the downgrading of the environment. Finally, another interesting viewpoint considers that growth should primarily be based on mining activities; its supporters draw information from the TV and from discussions with their family environment and friends.

The forest fires which occurred in the prefecture of Ilia, Greece, in August 2007 resulted in significant losses in forest lands, property and human lives. The citizens behaved as simple spectators of the disaster. Although they could have reacted, they did nothing. The citizens, however, declare that they know what actions they need to take in case of fire. Their information regarding forest fires mainly comes from television and radio, family and friends, newspapers and magazines and education. Indeed, it seems that through interpersonal channels of communication better results are achieved. In confronting forest fires, knowledge alone is not sufficient. In order to effectively confront forest fires, the local population also needs to be trained and organized in a voluntary system of confrontation.

Cycling as a mode of transport is a low-cost, health-improving way to travel and offers environmental benefits for the cities that promote it. It is only recently, though, with concerns over climate change, pollution, congestion, and obesity among others, that have cities throughout the world have begun to implement policies to promote cycling. In Greece, however, the use of the bicycle is limited. In Preveza, a small touristic city in Northwestern Greece where the use of the bicycle is prominent when compared to other Greek cities, there are efforts to promote cycling. Through the aid of a structured questionnaire, the residents evaluated the suitability of the city for cycling, the existing infrastructure, appropriate education, and behavior of cyclists and drivers. More than half of the residents use bicycles as their transportation and stated that bicycles are an inexpensive way of transport in the city and had the opinion that the state should encourage bicycle use by supporting subvention in bicycle acquisition. Two-thirds of the residents evaluated the cycling facilities of their city as adequate, but unsafe for young cyclists who do not follow the rules of transport. Adult cyclists, in contrast, were more loyal to the code, but stated that drivers did not respect their presence on the roads. This research provides important information on the perceived shortcomings of cycling as a transport mode in Preveza that may be of interest to towns/cities with similar characteristics. FCT-Foundation for Science and Technology [UID/SOC/04020/2013] info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The present study focuses on the combination of a hydrologic simulation model and a climate reanalysis system for the estimation of a watershed's hydrologic characteristics, mainly stream flow, which will help in small hydropower plant's placement decision making. The SWAT semi distributed hydrologic model in the form of ArcSWAT extension for ArcMap, was used for running a series of hydraulic simulations of Ekaterini's stream watershed for extracting average monthly and annual streamflow data in each one delineated sub-watershed outlets by SWAT. Because of the lack of a weather station close to the study area with the adequate climatic data, weather parameter's time series generated by the global climate model Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) were used as inputs for the SWAT model. The results of the simulation show a realistic prediction regarding the produced streamflow data in many predefined selection points within the whole watershed.

Leisure and tourism activities conceived as part of the developmental process of particular areas or regions can contribute to their economic growth to varying degrees of intensity so that they can be attainable and/or desirable. The exploitation of national resources is of great economic value in promoting tourism development in the provincial and underdeveloped areas of Greece. An evaluation of the factors that contribute to the growth of tourism in these regions would be useful in decision making and planning as far as their development is concerned. Such an interesting region from a tourism perspective, with many individual characteristics is the region of Metsovo, which belongs to Epirus, one of the poorest EU regions. However, Metsovo has recently presented a dynamic image since the region’s natural resources and rich cultural heritage (many Greek benefactors originated from here), along with its farming products with designation of origin, have created major prospects for the promotion of tourism. The present research was carried out using a structured questionnaire and cluster sampling involving visitors staying in local hotels. The collected data were elaborated using the SPSS v. 11.0 statistical program. Descriptive statistics and categorical regression were used to analyse the relevant data. The main conclusions have shown that the profile of visitors to Metsovo can be summarized using the following characteristics: relatively young, minimum secondary school graduates and belonging to the upper social classes ( judged by their profession). In addition, for more than half of the visitors the region of Metsovo is their permanent holiday location, primarily for relaxation purposes. The main problems that visitors face in the region of Metsovo relate to the lack of parking areas and cleanliness. Visitors with a higher level of education and/or income choose to visit Metsovo during public holidays or weekends; they also show a tendency to spend more money in comparison to the rest of the visitors. Finally, visitors who describe the surrounding countryside as nice or very nice are characterized by a higher professional and educational standing.

In the present study, the residents of Larnaka Province in Cyprus assessed the quality and quantity of the water provided for urban use, the water supply network serving Larnaka city, and the adoption of water conservation methods. The survey was conducted using simple random sampling and included 426 individuals. The locals consider the water quality to be fair and the water consumption charges to be neither expensive nor inexpensive, while the majority disapprove of any increase to the water rates in relation to high consumption levels. People in Larnaka are fairly satisfied with the local water supply, and assess the water losses through the distribution network as being fair. Their three main sources of drinking water are tanks, bottled water and the mains water, with or without filtering. They do not consider operating an intermittent water supply system a useful measure and most of them have water storage tanks at home for mains water, but not for rainwater.

This paper concerns the management and development of natural resources using citizens’ participation in decision-making procedures. The study examines the economic growth of gateway communities in the Amvrakikos Wetlands National Park with the use of a structured questionnaire and through personal interviews. Simple random sampling was used as a method. The case study constitutes an approach used to examine local people’s views concerning the various characteristics of the broader area, their living standards, as well as the sectors they wanted existing and future developments to be based upon. Through the research results, it is acknowledged that local people consider employment opportunities to be inadequate. They think that local development is based, partly, on the primary sector. Whereas, local people wish the primary sector to be enhanced along with the secondary, they want industry development and a tertiary sector, with the provision of services and tourism.

This case study attempts to explore “local peoples’” and “visitors’” views about the existing infrastructure and the availability of the services of the two National Parks of Evros Prefecture. The purpose of the research is to find out any potential deficiencies which might be influencing “local peoples’” lives and “visitors’” travel experience. The sustainable use of natural resources and tourism are crucial in the management of protected areas and National Parks. Sustainable development in such areas can only be achieved if the tourism infrastructure and related services are effectively managed. The results showed that local people are deemed to be stricter in their assessment of the existing infrastructure and services provided compared to the visitors in both areas. Although the structures of the tours and activities in the two National Parks are not similar, there were significant similarities in the visitors’ perceptions in both scenarios.