Effective

• Develop local Good Environmental Status (GES) indicators, as defined by the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), tailored for the two Sardinian MPAs.

• Conduct an expert-based pressure assessment to identify activities that exert direct or indirect pressures on the structural and functional elements of the parks.

• Standardize a methodology for applying these insights within an Ecosystem-Based Management System (EBMS).

The concept of Good Environmental Status is a valuable tool, but often difficult to apply in practice because:

• Geographical areas are too large to be managed by a single authority.

• Resources are limited.

For MPAs, effective management requires a clear long-term vision and, whenever possible, measurable metrics. Exploring a “downgraded” or locally adapted version of GES may offer a more practical way to apply the MSFD with stronger, site-specific results.

Translating EU indicators into local action requires the firsthand knowledge of those working in the field. For this reason, EFFECTIVE maintains direct and ongoing dialogue with the directors of the Sinis MPA and La Maddalena National Park, together with their stakeholders.

This ensures that the project is guided by local experience while contributing to the protection and restoration of the Mediterranean’s Blue Natural Capital. It also amplifies the voices and needs of local communities within a major European initiative.

One Ocean Foundation also contributes to ecosystem service mapping and to the governance strategy that contributes to an innovative, efficient, participatory and adaptive management model for MPAs based on values, in collaboration with Federparchi.

By combining science, nature-based solutions, and digital innovation, the EFFECTIVE project is developing new tools for ecosystem management and creating ecological corridors to connect habitats and biodiversity across the Mediterranean Sea.