Characterization and evaluation of a marine protected area: ‘Tavolara – Punta Coda Cavallo’ (Sardinia, NW Mediterranean)

Abstract

Habitat mapping plays a key role in the management and conservation of natural systems. In protected areas, where sustainable development is always subordinate to conservation efforts, maps are largely used to represent habitats, development pressures, tourist facilities or legal restrictions such as the zoning of a protected area. Some authors have recently developed a methodology that allows the production of a set of maps for the management of marine protected areas. In this paper, we present the application of this methodology to the case study of the marine protected area ‘Tavolara Punta Coda Cavallo’