Administration and management effectiveness of protected areas: stakeholders' views of Dadia National Park, Greece

The management effectiveness of protected areas is linked to the type and form of administration on structures applied each country within the framework on its environmental policy implementation. The administration structure gives the citizens the opportunity to take part in decision making process concerning the environment and includes partnerships with regional authorities, management bodies, competent ministries, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations. The main principles pertaining to the administration of protected areas are based on international conventions aimed at protecting biodiversity and the natural environment. The present study was conducted at Dadia National Park (NP), in the Evros Prefecture. The stakeholders involved in the administration and management of the NP, namely the park management, the municipality of Soufli and the regional authorities of Evros prefecture, as well as locals and visitors, were asked their option about the effectiveness of administration and management of the park. The results of the study indicate that there are weakness affecting the collaboration of the adminstrative bodies, the locals are not weakness affecting the collaboration of the administrative bodies, the locals are not satiefied with the local authorities operations and the visitors are not being adequately informed about the relevant-bodies and type of administration and management of the NP.