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SALT of LIFE project/ LIFE11 NAT/BG/000362

Habitat 1150* Coastal lagoons -

Atanasovsko Lake,

the Black Sea region, Bulgaria

Platform meeting: Continental, Steppic, Pannonian and Black Sea

Biogeographical Process 27-28 May 2015, Sighișoara (Romania)

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Conservation status

• The whole lake and a big part of the

surrounded area are included in

Natura 2000 site under Bird and

Habitat Directives - pSCI/ SPA

(BG0000270).

• The north part of the lake is managed

reserve (IUCN ІV category), and the

south part together with a belt of about

200 m around the northern part is

protected site (IUCN ІV and/or V

category).

• Atanasovsko Lake is a salinas for

production of salt by applying the

traditional techniques.

Natura 2000 site

managed reserve

protected site

Characteristics of the habitat 1150* Coastal lagoons in Atanasovsko Lake

• The coastal lagoons are rare

habitats in Bulgaria;

• Atanasovsko Lake is the largest

one (covering 20.604% of the Natura

2000 site area);

• It is the most representative for this

ecosystem type and the most

important as a biodiversity habitat.

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Important pressures for the lagoon habitat in Atanasovsko Lake are:

• change of the hydrological regime;

• drying;

• degraded connection with the sea;

• pollution and eutrophication;

• Investment interests along Black sea costs.

The numerous problems the lagoon faces today is the fact that so far it has

hardly been managed as a specific and very fragile ecosystem.

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The Salt of Life project was necessitated by the effect of the

disastrous floods that took place in 2006 and especially in 2010.

The following key parameters of the FCS of habitat type 1150* were affected:

• Coverage of the habitat – decreased with 40% of its total coverage in the site.

• Maximum depth – decreased below the threshold of 0.20 m in some basins;

• Pollution – non-toxic pollution by the surface waters inflow from the adjacent

lands ;

• Eutrophication in peripheral water basins was observed.

• Hydrological regime – changes of the hydrological and hydrochemical

conditions caused by destruction of water management facilities for the

traditional salt production.

Secure the coastal lagoon Atanasovsko Lake against flood and limit pollution by repairing

the Bypass channel and Protective dyke

• 8,5 km of the Bypass channel and Protective dyke, around the lake, were

cleaned until now with the purchased excavator type “Dragline”;

• During the strong rainfall in December 2014 the water level increased by 40

cm, but there were no broken parts in the repaired Protective dike and inflow

of freshwater toward the lake.

• Data for 2014 show that the annual rainfalls were 896.2 mm, which is 111 mm

more compared to these for 2010.

The activity plays significant role in the managing of the water levels and quality of the Atanasovsko Lake, thus affecting the status of the lagoon.

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Conservation activities:

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Cleaned from undesired vegetation channel

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Conservation activities:

Restore habitats, roosting and breeding sites by dykes and barriers repair

• 1170 m wooden barriers and 3470 m earth

dykes were repaired until the end of 2014.

With the restoration work nesting and

roosting habitats for key bird species were

increased with 14 816 m2;

• Restoration of targeted 8500 m of wooden

barriers and 12000 m earth dykes will

result in sustaining the water regime,

improved conditions for the

phytoplankton, zooplankton and

zoobenthos.

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Networking activities

• The project is planning to apply the experience gained during our visit of the

project LIFE09/NAT/SI/000376 - “MANSALT” about small dykes.

• We will study the opportunity to restore 200 m small dykes instead barriers in

the north part of the lake and to monitor their stability and nesting and

breeding success of birds on them.

This pilot program will aim direct conservation effect on lagoon and would also reduce the cost of “BS Salinas” for the construction and repair of dykes and barriers.

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Useful experience of 1150*Habitat management

• Keeping the traditional salt production is one

of the guarantees of the long-term

preservation of the favorable ecological

status;

• The project has analysed the possibilities for

support of the traditional salt production

through agro- environmental measures.

• The involvement of "Black Sea Salinas" Ltd.

as a partner in the project is a positive

example of the involvement of business in the

nature conservation.

Thank you for your attention!

Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation

Salt of Life Project

Burgas, 53 Gen. Gurko Str.

http://www.saltoflife.biodiversity.bg

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