5. Protect Nature as Tourism Infrastructure
Sardinia’s strongest tourism advantage is not simply its scenery, but the ecological integrity of its coasts, islands, wetlands, forests, mountains and marine habitats. Nature protection should be treated as a productive investment in destination quality—not as a constraint external to tourism development.
The island’s Natura 2000 network comprises 128 terrestrial and marine sites, covering more than 950,000 hectares: approximately 514,100 hectares on land and 436,000 hectares at sea. This is equivalent to about 21.35% of Sardinia’s land area and 19.41% of its territorial waters. These areas contain many of the landscapes and habitats that underpin beach, marine, wildlife, walking, cycling, rural and nature-based tourism.[portal.sardegnasira]
Problem
Visitor growth can generate concentrated pressure on fragile ecosystems, especially where access is unmanaged or infrastructure is inadequate. Typical impacts include:
- Trampling of dunes, coastal vegetation and nesting areas.
- Erosion of trails and informal paths.
- Disturbance to wildlife from boats, drones, noise and night-time activity.
- Anchoring damage to seagrass and sensitive seabed habitats.
- Litter, wastewater and runoff affecting beaches, wetlands and marine waters.
- Congestion at small sites whose environmental carrying capacity is lower than peak demand.
- Informal parking, camping and access routes that fragment habitats and affect local communities.
The central issue is not whether people should visit protected landscapes. It is whether visitor access is designed around ecological limits, conservation objectives and a high-quality experience.
Destination implication
Nature is a finite tourism asset. If its condition declines, the destination can lose biodiversity, scenic quality, local trust and long-term economic value simultaneously.
A successful model moves beyond unrestricted access or simple prohibition. It uses active visitor management: clear zoning, booking where necessary, seasonal protections, guided access, low-impact mobility, restoration funding and credible communication about why particular rules are in place.
Proposed direction
Establish a Nature-Positive Visitor Economy Framework for protected areas, Natura 2000 sites, beaches, dunes, wetlands, marine protected areas and other sensitive tourism landscapes.
Priority measures should include:
- Site-specific visitor-management plans based on conservation objectives, ecological sensitivity and seasonal carrying capacity.
- Timed-entry, reservation or permit systems for sites where peak demand exceeds safe capacity.
- Zoning that differentiates strict-protection areas, guided-access zones, low-impact recreation zones and service areas.
- Clearly designed access routes, boardwalks, mooring systems, marked trails and visitor facilities that prevent informal damage.
- Limits on vehicles, anchoring, drones, noise and night-time access in sensitive zones where evidence supports them.
- Revenue mechanisms—such as visitor fees, parking charges or permits—ring-fenced for conservation, maintenance, local employment and monitoring.
- Support for trained local guides, rangers and interpretation staff who improve both visitor understanding and compliance.
- Real-time communication of site status, visitor capacity, weather conditions, wildfire restrictions and alternative places to visit.
- Environmental standards for tour operators, boating businesses, diving providers, beach concessions and accommodation providers operating near sensitive ecosystems.
- Restoration programmes for dunes, wetlands, trails, seagrass habitat and degraded visitor-access points.
Governance principle
Tourism planning must be compatible with legally binding conservation requirements. In March 2025, the Regional Government approved conservation measures for 89 Special Areas of Conservation and four Sites of Community Importance within Sardinia’s Natura 2000 network. Tourism strategies and site-management arrangements should translate these measures into practical visitor rules, investment priorities and monitoring systems rather than treating conservation as a separate regulatory process.[regione.sardegna]
A strong model also ensures that benefits return to host communities: local guide services, small-scale transport, food and craft enterprises, restoration work, environmental education and off-season programming can connect conservation with more distributed economic value.
Relevant stakeholders
Regional Department for Environmental Protection; regional tourism authorities; Natura 2000 site managers; national, regional and marine protected-area authorities; municipalities; Forestry Corps; coastguard and harbour authorities; ARPAS; local tourism organisations; boat, diving and excursion operators; guides; accommodation providers; community associations; universities; conservation organisations.
Possible indicators
| Indicator | Suggested measurement |
|---|---|
| Ecological condition | Status and trend of priority habitats, species, dunes, wetlands and seagrass meadows |
| Visitor pressure | Entries, peak-day use, trail counts, boat movements and visitor density at sensitive sites |
| Compliance | Incidents involving unauthorised access, off-trail use, anchoring, littering or wildlife disturbance |
| Managed access | Share of priority sites operating zoning, booking, permits, rangers or formal access infrastructure |
| Conservation finance | Visitor-derived revenue reinvested in restoration, monitoring and site management |
| Local value | Local jobs, guide services, suppliers and community enterprises supported by nature-based tourism |
| Visitor learning | Share of visitors receiving conservation information and evidence of improved rule compliance |
| Restoration outcomes | Area of dune, wetland, trail or marine habitat restored and maintained |
Delivery horizon
Immediate to long term. Start with the most visited and environmentally sensitive locations, particularly high-pressure beaches, marine protected areas, islands, dune systems and wetlands. Use pilot visitor-management systems to establish transferable standards, while making ecological monitoring and community benefit-sharing permanent parts of tourism governance.