Collaboration for the Future of Patara SEPA in Türkiye

Management and action plans are the backbone of effective protected area governance. When designed collaboratively and adaptively, they become powerful tools for long-term conservation success. This is why stakeholder participation, particularly during the design and co-creation phases, is essential.

With this in mind, the IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change – Türkiye General Directorate for the Protection of Natural Assets and with guidance from the Yolda Initiative, organized the second stakeholder engagement meeting on May 6 and 7, 2025 at the Patara Special Environmental Protection Area – SEPA (Antalya and Muğla) to shape the next phase of the management and action plan.

Together, they refined and further developed the predefined actions, bringing valuable insights and in-depth local knowledge.

The Patara SEPA action and management plan will soon be finalized and submitted for official approval. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) will lie at the core of the plan. Once adopted, the plan’s priority actions will be implemented until the end of 2027, with the ongoing support of committed stakeholders.

The Patara SEPA plan will be the first in Türkiye to officially integrate SbN into its legal framework, marking an important step towards inclusive and resilient environmental governance.