Salt Mound

composited digital print of photographs and drawings made in Mytilini, GR;
sea salt

Modern saltworks are semi-artificial coastal ecosystems, unique in terms of their architecture. Moreover, they have a special feature, which is highly valued in our times: they combine their production process with the conservation of theenvironment. This is so because such process is not only environment-friendly,but also saltworks themselves constitute integrated ecosystems.

They consist of a system of shallow ponds (15-60 cm deep), connected mainly in series, and their natural bottom has the appropriate clay composition to ensure very low water permeability. Seawater enters the first basin and, as it flows through the next ponds and evaporates in the sun, its concentration increases. Thus, by the time it reaches the last basin, which has now become the nursing pond, it has a concentration of 25.7°Be.

On average, more than 100 species of birds have been observed in each of the (Kalloni) saltworks many of which have been identified as endangered species, or are protected by Greek, European Union or international conventions. It is worth noting that saltworks are totally free of pesticides or other chemical compounds used in farming.

Nicholas A. Korovessis and Themistokles D. Lekkas . Solar Saltworks Production Process:
Evolution - Wetland Function