EUSAIR - Final Report

»When I arrive
at work in the
morning, I'm
thrilled by
a kingfisher«
Interview with Klavdij Godnič,
director of SOLINE Pridelava soli d. o. o.
Active salt pans are an example of coexistence
between economic activity, tourism and the needs
of nature conservation. What risk does intense
climate change pose for this coexistence?
Climate change poses an increasing risk both to salt
production and to the landscape park itself: if we can
no longer produce salt, we will also endanger all plants
and animals that live here.
The first challenge is the rise in the sea level. High and low
tides are higher, and the entire system of the Sečovlje salt
pans is a closed system. In the event of rain, all rainwater
retained in the landscape park is released on a free-fall
basis. However, because the tides are getting higher, the
water drop is smaller or, put another way, less water flows
out of the closed system in the same period of time. The
quantities of fresh water are not changing during the year
compared to the past; what we observe is that it is raining
more intensely. This extends the number of days it takes
to drain all the water from the system.
The salt pans are dry for up to five days longer. During
this time, damage to salt fields and freshwater plants can
occur. As a result, salt extraction is more difficult, and
the picture of the entire landscape park is also changing.
Did climate changes play a key role in the last
few poor salt harvests? Can you even combat
them at the micro-local level? What does sea
level rise mean for salt pans?
Salt production periods are shorter. In the last ten
years, we have produced an average of 2,000 tons
of salt per year, in 2013, when the harvest was exceptional,
even 5,000 tons of salt. The year before last we
had already dropped to 1,200 tons, and last year we
produced only 800 tons of salt.
We are not accepting new customers this year. If we
record two or three more bad harvests, it will be difficult
to offer it to the market. Some brands are very dependent
on us, since they use our logo on their products.
In the event that we are unable to supply them with
salt, they will be forced to change the entire production
process. Such as Lokev prosciutto factory, Kodila,
Ljubljanske mlekarne ... We are already supplying
limited quantities of salt to larger retail chains.
The state, which last year adopted an ambitious plan
to protect the landscape park with its hinterland, is of
great help to us. The frontal embankments, both banks
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