Governance and Management of Protected Natural Areas in the Era of Overtourism

In view of ever-growing visitation, proactive management is needed to reconcile the goals of both conservation and recreation. The literature suggests that one of the solutions might be a transition from the traditional top-down governance of protected area (PA) to adaptive co-management (ACM), which advocates participation, collaboration, and iterative learning. This chapter aims to analyse the key elements and structures of governance and management of PA while focusing on both conservation effectiveness and socio-economic sustainability goals. Attention is given to the discussion of PA governance and management assessment (PAME) methodologies and their relationships. Finally, the governance-management assessment method developed by Shields et al. (2016) is applied to the case of Krka NP in Croatia. The assessment is based on the governance indicators and related output measures that are a part of the PAME. The results of the analysis indicate insufficient commitment on the part of Krka National Park management authority to following United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) good governance principles. Although the last decade saw significant advances in both governance and management effectiveness, significant improvements should be made, particularly regarding the stakeholders’ engagement as the fundamental aspect of ACM. The implications of the analysis are discussed with particular reference to excessive visitation.