Evolution and management of landscapes on Mediterranean minor islands: case studies from the Tuscan Archipelago (Italy) and Comino (Malta)

Environmental management relies on comprehensive understanding of the relevant site context, for the purpose of identifying appropriate objectives and strategies to address local issues. In the case of small inhabited islands of only secondary importance on a national/regional scale, insular conditions, degree of affinity with the mainland and specific local factors combine to shape the physical environment and its socioeconomic milieu. Intertwined macro- and microscale issues, physical isolation and self-containment present both opportunities and difficulties for sustainable management of minor Mediterranean islands. This contribution seeks to explore some of the underlying geographic, natural, historic and socio-economic aspects, using the Tuscan Archipelago in Italy and the island of Comino in Malta as case studies.