Our territory is abundant in environmental resources and natural areas that sustain and preserve biodiversity, providing important ecosystem services to the population such as drinking water, clean air, and green areas for public health and human well-being.

Unfortunately, these natural areas are frequently mismanaged due to disagreements, mismatched priorities, or lack of a common plan between institutions and private owners.

At European level, there are many environmental directives that seek to improve the management of environmental resources (Water Framework Directive) and of natural areas (Birds and Habitats Directives), with specific indications regarding how to use these resources and how to manage habitats and biodiversity (e.g. Conservation Measures). However, the complexity and the lack of resources often lead to delays in the application of European environmental regulations, resulting in frequent requests for derogation and environmental sanctions.

On the other hand, in EU 2021-2027 programming, the Programme for the Environment and Climate Action (LIFE)  will increase by approximately 50% with respect to the previous period, with about 5.45 billion euros of budget. Furthermore, at least the 25% of EU spending in all programs will be used to achieve climate goals. However, the lack of vision and coordination among entities often results in the limited ability to benefit from available EU funding.

GRAN approach (Governance of Resources And Natural areas)

The governance of protected areas and natural resources is a complex subject. For this reason we handle it with an interdisciplinary approach and we refer to the most advanced standards on the subject, such as the IUCN Green List of Protected and Conserved Areas. Our goal is to respond to local requests from the institutional, technical and economic points of view, supporting the territories in the analysis and resolution of problems. Together we will understand the most relevant issues for your area and lay the foundations for a participatory and effective management of the natural resources. We will do it with a process specifically designed and agreed with you.

The three dimensions of governance we work on:

INSTITUTIONAL
Which are the parties involved and what organizational, institutional, and contractual arrangements are in place to coordinate them? Ensuring representation, transparency, and adaptation to context characterizes the most locally appropriate governance system.

 

FUNCTIONAL
What are the priority objectives? Which conservation and management practices provide the largest environmental, social and economic benefits? The choice of best practices has to be guided by local needs as well as by relevant institutions’ goals and economic impacts of alternative solutions.

ECONOMIC
How do we fund stakeholders’ coordination and conservation projects? The access to public and private funds, as well as the ability to use these capitals wisely, are at the core of an effective governance, which ensures the full realization of the planned actions in the long term.

 

What we offer: 

INSTITUTIONAL
Stakeholder analysis and engagement, policy analysis, partnership building, animation of thematic networks, development of agreements and conventions.

 

FUNCTIONAL
Definition of a shared strategy, economic evaluation of ecosystem services, prioritization of actions (conservation, maintenance, management), Action Plans, integration into existing planning.

ECONOMIC
Financing strategies, European projects design and management, Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES)

 

WHY CHOOSE THE GRAN APPROACH?

  • Environment and economic development can be on the same track
    Governance of resources and natural areas should maximize environmental and social benefits to the population, while making environmental improvements effective and economically sustainable.

  • Bottom-up governance with clear and concrete goals
    Often, local coordination processes are top-down and, consequently, locals do not support them.
    On the other hand, whenever they are bottom-up, they risk a lack of practicability which leads to failure.
    By employing innovative facilitation techniques, Etifor provides a mixed approach and guarantees goal-oriented participation. This will lead to concrete goals and to get the media coverage and the economic resources needed to start the change.

  • Clear and engaging communication as an added value
    Often, environmental projects are managed by professionals who fail to communicate in a simple and straightforward way. Etifor combines expertise scientific knowledge with specific graphic, social network and communication tools. A target-specific communication strategy will make the governance and population awareness process more effective and successful.

  • Quality assured, all over the world
    SWe develop projects all over the world, and quality is always guaranteed by the highest third-party certification standards (FSC, GSTC, etc.).

Learn more

Success stories

Financing Nature-based Solutions

Good governance and innovative financing for the Brenta River

The Adda Greenway in the lower Valtellina area

Nature-based solutions and circular economy: a climate strategy for the territory of Cuneo

WEAL Project – Wellbeing and Ecosystem service for Agriculture in Lombardy

Publications

FAO, IUFRO and USDA. 2021. A guide to forest-water management. FAO Forestry Paper No. 185. Rome

AA.VV. (2020), Intermediary organisations in collaborative environmental governance, Volume 6, Issue 7, ScienceDirect

Urban Forests and Green Areas as Nature-Based Solutions for Brownfield Redevelopment: A Case Study from Brescia Municipal Area (Italy)

An FAO guide to forest–water management

To improve the governance of your area

CONTACT US

GIULIA AMATO
GIULIA AMATO