The people of Vassilikos, farmers and tourist entrepreneurs on the Greek
island of Zakynthos, are involved in a bitter environmental dispute
concerning the conservation of sea turtles. Against the
environmentalists' practices and ideals they set their own culture of
relating to the land, cultivation, wild and domestic animals.
Written from an anthropological perspective, this book puts forward the
idea that a thorough study of indigenous cultures is a fundamental step
to understanding conflicts over the environment. For this purpose, the
book offers a detailed account of the cultural depth and richness of the
human environmental relationship in Vassilikos, focusing on the
engagement of its inhabitants with diverse aspects of the local
environment, such as animal care, agriculture, tourism and hunting.