Background The Mediterranean coastal area between Qawara on Malta and Dwejra on Gozo has been nominated by the Maltese government as a potential World Heritage Site. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty containing unique examples of geological, biological and cultural heritage features. Maintaining the quality of these environmental resources has become increasingly challenging during recent times due to a number of reasons. For example, the area is utilised by quarry enterprises which remain important from an economic perspective but can be detrimental to the environment. Public access to the site continues to increase pressures through sight seeing, building, dumping, camping and bird trapping. All of these issues are prevalent and considered to be inadequately controlled. Objectives The overall aim of the LIFE-Third Countries project was to establish a coastal nature reserve at Dwejra which involved implementation of an integrated package of environmental measures designed to help set up Malta’s first such protected area. The LIFE-TCY project objectives included: • development of a restoration, conservation and management plan; • establishing a framework for environmental management; • strengthening the current administrative and enforcement capacities; • carrying out environmental education via a new eco-tourism and environmental education facility; • using the site as a demonstration project to help encourage creation of other coastal nature reserves; and • creating a coastal nature reserve which conformed to the objectives of the national Maltese Coastal Zone Management Subject Plan and Structure Plan for Malta and Gozo. Three years of LIFE-TCY funded activities were planned to achieve these objectives which involved nine distinct tasks listed below. 1. Undertake a preliminary assessment of the area’s socio-environmental characteristics and identify different stakeholders. 2. Collate environmental benchmark data (terrestrial and marine). 3. Publish a general Management Plan of the project area. 4. Draft a Restoration Plan and carry out key interventions. 5. Publish an economic sustainability plan and implement fund-raising activities. 6. Build capacity of local stakeholders. 7. Monitor and report progress to the EC. 8. Enforce protection and regulatory measures. 9. Undertake education and dissemination initiatives. Results The Nature Trust’s LIFE-TCY project succeeded in establishing Malta’s first coastal nature reserve. The protected area covers some 8 km2 of marine and terrestrial environment which is now managed in a sustainable and controlled manner. The experience gained during the LIFE-TCY project has been noted as extremely useful in a Maltese context, particularly in terms of the demonstration value from environmental management work with high numbers of stakeholders and a large geographical area. It is anticipated that the lessons learnt during the LIFE-TCY project will assist public, private and voluntary sector bodies in Malta to work together during other environmental conservation activities, such as those associated with the implementation of the EU Birds and Habitat Directives. Malta’s new coastal nature reserve area was established using a participatory planning approach which succeeded in radically improving stakeholders' appreciation of the nature reserve’s economic benefits and quality of life advantages. Good working relations were developed with the local fishing industry that plays an important role in the nature reserve’s management plans. For example, new marine protection measures were adopted (such as removal of abandoned fish-traps and introduction of access rules) which have helped contribute to the return of seahorses in the area. Planning regulations were also strengthened to regulate development in the project's 5.5 km2 of terrestrial reserve. This led to regulations on illegal structures, enforced by fines in one instance, and a ban on further unregulated developments in order to improve conservation of the inland sea area at Dwejra. Other key stakeholders included hunters who also agreed to comply with new regulations and these have succeeded in attracting more wildlife to stay longer in the protected zones. Native plant species were introduced to boost natural heritage resources and alien species were cleared from the site. In addition to natural heritage work, LIFE-TCY funds were also used to support restoration works on cultural heritage resources. Prominent investments included a new visitor centre at the historical Dwejra Tower and smaller scale measures covered improvements to an access road, plus equipment for a regulated parking area. These new visitor facilities help to manage public access within sensitive areas of the reserve and encourage more tourists to visit the site, which in turn has created more economic opportunities for local communities. An "Eco-warden" was appointed at the reserve and an environmental education programme was also launched which has proved popular with Gozo schools. The education programme includes public information leaflets have been distributed via the new visitor centre, schools, hotels and tourist operators. Two DVDs were produced featuring information about the reserve’s marine and terrestrial environments. The legacies generated by LIFE-TCY investments will be sustained by the new five year management plan which was prepared during the project. A contract has been signed with the Ministry for Rural Affairs and Environment to implement the management plan activities that include promotion of organic farming practices in the area and strengthening of the nature reserve’s potential for eco-tourism. Longer term support is anticipated through UNESCO classification and national stakeholders recognise the key role that LIFE-TCY assistance has played in their goal to achieve World Heritage status for the area.