As part of the "Nature Returns" project, the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Development of the North has announced a call for submission of business ideas to increase the sustainability of the Ulcinjska Saltworks Nature Park.
In the call, published on the website of the Municipality of Ulcinj, all individuals and legal entities from the country and abroad are invited to propose innovative ideas that will contribute to encouraging the production of salt and by-products in a traditional way, encouraging the diversification of local products related to salt production, encouraging other types of production complementary salt production (using seawater and evaporation pools), prevention of the spread of invasive plant and animal species, and their exploitation for economic purposes, e.g. blue crab, reeds, tamarix/tamarica and others, preservation of halophytes such as Salicornia - glass plant/sea asparagus, improvement of the existing industrial infrastructure, development of new contents in order to reuse the industrial infrastructure, restoration and maintenance of the supply channel from Cape Đerana to Solana, application of renewable and alternative energy sources in order to improve the efficiency of the pumps, to develop sustainable offers to visitors with the offer of interpretation of nature and heritage in the area of the Nature Park, to preserve and restore cultural heritage, landscapes such as calimeres and other traditional local skills, the use of peloids (medicinal mud) for medical, therapeutic and cosmetic purposes, the preservation of ecosystems and protected species and habitats of the Nature Park, education about nature protection and biological diversity and mitigating the impact of climate change on the environment.
It is emphasized that the list is not final and that other ideas that contribute to the sustainable management of the area are also acceptable.
It is reminded that the Nature Park Ulcinjska solana is located on the site of a former lagoon and swamp in the Bojana delta and that the area is primarily important because of the great richness of biodiversity - numerous species and groups of birds, saline habitats with numerous halophytes.
Also, it is stated that the Solana started operating in 1934, and that the production of salt stopped in 2013.
"The cessation of salt production, i.e. the cessation of regulation of the water regime in the area of the saltworks today threatens the entire ecosystem", the Invitation explains.
It is added that Solana occupies about 14,5 square kilometers of salt basins, and the total area of the area is 14,77 square kilometers. It is surrounded by a channel that drains the surrounding swamps and "knetes", not allowing their water to mix with the salt water.
"Due to various pressures and threats and the costs of maintaining a favorable state of biodiversity and habitats in the Ulcinjska Solana Nature Park, we need innovative approaches in the management of the area. That's why we want to strengthen cooperation with local communities and other actors in order to develop innovative solutions for sustainable management of resources", it says in the Invitation and adds that it is divided into two categories - priority ideas that can mitigate the main threats (expensive maintenance of the salt water regime, invasive foreign species, demanding rehabilitation of the infrastructure of the salt pan, weak tourist offer) and realize new sources of income and other ideas that contribute to the well-being of nature or the improvement of biodiversity, without necessarily generating income".
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