Rehabilitation of abandoned saltworks to maximize conservation, ecotourism and water treatment potential

Abstract

Numerous saltworks have been abandoned throughout the Greek islands and mainland as operations have decreased in number and increased in size. Such areas have great potential for serving the broader society if rehabilitated correctly. Changes in landscape uses recently, especially agricultural practices and rapid expansion of vacation homes and resorts in the islands, have increased nutrient and sediment loading to coastal bays. Previously, streams were diverted around saltworks on the coast to avoid contamination of the salt produced. Rehabilitation of saltworks to accept stream input has great potential to treat nutrient and other contamination from the landscape via natural biological processes of the ecosystem, thus reduce loading to coastal areas and potential contamination of resort beaches. Successfully rehabilitated saltworks will also provide enhanced nature conservation areas that can become part of regional networks of ecotourism opportunities. Examples of the potential for integrating rehabilitated saltworks within both the landscape and regional economy of Greece will be discussed.