Mauro Morandi has lived on the southern Italian island of Budelli since 1989.
He is the only resident of the island, which is renowned for its pink sand beaches.
He relies on solar panels to supply power to his shack and has a system for collecting and purifying rainwater to drink.
A former PE teacher from Modena, Morandi was destined for Polynesia when his catamaran broke down near Budelli in July 1989.
He fell in love with the island and never left.
For decades, Morandi was permitted to stay on Budelli and he became known as an unofficial custodian of the island.
In 2016, Budelli was incorporated into Sardinia’s Maddalena Archipelago national park.
Local authorities now want to evict Morandi, claiming his presence on the island is “incompatible” with what should be a protected area for flora and fauna.
Head of the national park, Fabrizio Fonnesu, said Morandi will be asked to leave in January 2019, and authorities said his shack would be demolished.
“In recent years several structures have been built illegally on the island and we have a duty to clear them away,” Fonnesu said.
Fonnesu said park authorities want to open the island up to tourism, allowing visitors to experience its splendour while preserving the environment.
The island of Budelli and surrounding areas are renowned for their pink sand beaches. (Photo: ANSA)
Morandi has vowed to fight the eviction order, arguing that his presence protects and preserves the island.
“I believe there is a need for me to be here,” he told Italian daily La Nazione.
“There are always tourists coming over here and breaking the rules. The national park authority has installed security cameras, but that’s not enough.”
Morandi was faced with a similar eviction order last year, but 18,000 people signed a petition appealing for him to be allowed to remain on the island, and authorities decided to let him stay.
