A landscape of 3 thousand hectares, between water, wind and salt, where human activity in some cases has contributed to creating new ecological balances. The Saline di Sicilia aim to enter the network of UNESCO biosphere reserves through the MaB program (Man and the Biosphere), dedicated to the territories in which environmental conservation, local communities and sustainable development can coexist.
The first important step arrived in these hours, when the National Technical Commission for the UNESCO MaB program, meeting at the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, expressed a favorable opinion on the candidacy.
Now the dossier must be officially sent to UNESCO by September 30th and in the case of final approval in Paris, the area of salt pans of Trapani, Marsala, Misiliscemi and Paceco would be the first coastal wetland built by man to obtain the prestigious recognition.
The wonderful area between Trapani and Marsala
The candidate area includes approximately 3 thousand hectares of salt marshes, two nature reserves and a coastal stretch of approximately 25 kilometers in western Sicily. A unique system, shaped over the centuries by the interaction between man and the environment: the salt collection tanks, canals, wetlands and stretches of brackish water have given rise to a mosaic of particularly precious habitats for many animal and plant species.
The official process began on 15 January 2025, with the birth of the promoting committee led by the Trapani Chamber of Commerce and composed, among others, of the Sicilian Region, the municipalities involved, the Free Municipal Consortium of Trapani and the WWF.
The salt pans of western Sicily have an ancient history. The first organized forms of salt production date back to the Phoenician era, between the 8th and 6th centuries BC. Since then this territory has changed along with human activities, but the system of salting basins has created particular environmental conditions.
Each basin has different characteristics in terms of depth and salt concentration, generating a succession of environments capable of hosting numerous forms of life. In the Trapani and Paceco Saline Nature Reserve alone, established in 1995 and managed by the WWF, the following have been recorded:
Among the most fascinating inhabitants of this environment are the migratory birds that use the salt marshes as a place to rest, feed and reproduce. In July the WWF also documented the nesting of the pink flamingo for the first time, a particularly significant event because it confirms the ecological value of these humid environments.
What are MaB UNESCO Biosphere Reserves
The recognition to which the Sicilian salt pans aspire does not coincide with inclusion in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The program MaB – Man and the Biosphereborn in 1971, identifies territories in which the protection of biodiversity must proceed together with the economic and social activities of local communities.
The objective is not to create areas completely devoid of human presence, but to promote a model in which people can live and work respecting natural balances. Biosphere Reserves therefore represent true laboratories of sustainability: places to experiment with conservation practices, environmental education, research and development compatible with ecosystems.
The possible entry of the Sicilian salt pans into the UNESCO MaB network would represent not only international recognition, but also an opportunity to strengthen the protection of a unique landscape, promote more aware tourism and enhance production practices linked to the history of the area.
From the white pools illuminated by the sun to the flamingos that cross the pink waters of the salt pans, this corner of Sicily shows how the conservation of nature can also pass through the millenary relationship between human communities and the environment.
