The role of women in the conservation and management of protected areas in the Mediterranean region is illustrated in this case study. Protected areas are usually found in rural environments, where women have traditional roles as parents, housewives, and helpers in farming or animal husbandry. Women have less access to education and hold secondary roles with respect to the decision-making and management of communal life. Time constraints and traditional values prevent full-time employment and limit mobility with respect to employment opportunities. Thus women seek additional income on a part-time basis, using skills they have already developed as homemakers in their community. In some protected areas, one goal is to attract visitors for ecotourism: the involvement of women deals with management of accommodations, preparation of food, and provision of traditional products such as handicrafts or preserves. In areas such as Dadia, the conservation infrastructure put in place involved women as tour guides, environmental educators, or volunteer coordinators. A women's cooperative provided a basic social organization, where skills were acquired and opportunities for funding were established. The collection and equitable distribution of funds fulfilled one of the main incentives for women's participation: to supplement their family income. The cooperatives also provided an avenue for access to a wider social role, and the associated benefits in terms of exchange of ideas, further learning, and the ability to influence the affairs of the community.
