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The activities of the COASTRUST project, funded by the European Interreg Euro-MED program, have officially begun in Sardinia. The initiative aims to promote shared environmental management in the Mediterranean's coastal areas, addressing anthropogenic pressures that threaten biodiversity. 

Specifically, the project focuses on vulnerable coastal areas under human pressure, intending to develop multi-stakeholder management mechanisms to ensure the sustainable use of terrestrial and marine natural resources. Among the pilot sites is the Municipality of Domus de Maria, where the goal is to develop environmental stewardship strategies—an approach to responsible management and protection of the natural environment. This involves actively engaging citizens, associations, and local economic sectors to improve sustainable management of both terrestrial and marine natural resources, with direct contributions from all stakeholders. 

On the afternoon of January 16, 2025, the project's launch event took place at the council chamber of the Municipality of Domus de Maria. The meeting was attended by a significant number of citizens, associations, and representatives of local productive activities. 

The event was opened by Mayor Maria Concetta Spada, who emphasized the need for joint actions among the municipal administration, the newly established Marine Protected Area, citizens, and local businesses. “Active citizen participation is an essential element for the sustainable management of the area,” said the Mayor, expressing gratitude to attendees for their interest. 

In the first scheduled presentation, the Fondazione per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile, a project partner, provided a brief overview of the international partnership involving Domus de Maria and the objectives of the COASTRUST project. 

Giuseppe Dodaro and Flaminia Squitieri, project coordinators and activity managers, highlighted the importance of defining grassroots participatory agreements to achieve direct and indirect benefits for all stakeholders. “The heart of the project,” they explained, “will be the definition of stewardship agreements and the creation of a Local Action Network to support them, ensuring a truly shared and bottom-up approach.” 

The MEDSEA Foundation, supporting the Foundation for Sustainable Development in implementing activities at the Domus de Maria pilot site, presented a detailed plan for the initiatives to be carried out in the coming months. This outlined an engagement process where local actors will be the true protagonists of the initiative. 

The event was attended by the citizens of Domus de Maria and stakeholders, including local associations, fishermen, civil protection associations, type B cooperatives, and others interested in managing the area. 

“Overall, the project has generated strong interest,” commented Vania Erby, an expert in participatory processes for the MEDSEA Foundation. “The significant participation and numerous proposals received from attendees represent a solid starting point for the next phases, which will be implemented in the coming months.” 

Future activities will focus on defining stewardship agreements and building a network of local stakeholders to ensure responsible and shared management of the area's natural resources. 

With COASTRUST, Domus de Maria is set to become a model of sustainability and collaboration for the protection of the Mediterranean's coastal areas.