Establishing cultural and natural heritage areas as protected landscapes: an institutional framework for Greece

Sustainable management and conservation of natural and cultural heritage has become a priority for governments in order to mitigate environmental degradation. This paper aims to identify a gap in Greek legislation relating to the non-inclusion of the country's cultural and natural heritage sites in the national network of protected areas. The proposed institutional framework aims at filling this gap by redefining the meaning of protected landscape. This process outlines the relevant administrative level and specifies the procedure for designating these areas. The Parrhasian Heritage Park illustrates the concept and the benefits of protecting and managing of such areas.