The Regional Activity Centre for the Priority Actions Programme (PAP/RAC) of the Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), UNEP, and the authors of this document wish to thank all the experts from the Mediterranean countries, and of the European Union and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) who participated in the implementation of the priority action on soil protection in the period between 1985 and 1996. Without their contribution it would not have been possible to conceive or implement the project related to mapping and measurement of erosion processes in Mediterranean coastal areas.
An expression of appreciation is due to FAO/AGL whose scientific and professional support was essential for the preparation and implementation of the project and for the completion of the Guidelines.
PAP/RAC's special thanks for professional and financial support go to Spain as the host country, the General Directorate for the Conservation of the Nature (Dirección General de Conservacion de la Naturaleza - DGCONA) of the Spanish Ministry of Environment as the host institution of the project, as well as to the Tunisian and Turkish authorities and institutions which enabled the implementation of pilot mapping and measurement exercises in their countries.
Finally, PAP/RAC acknowledges the contribution to the measurement component of the project made by the Institute of Earth Sciences "Jaume Almera", Barcelona, of the High Council for Scientific Research (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas - CSIC).