Hear the stories of our Mediterranean Wetlanders
Here you can find the powerful and moving stories from Wetlanders who share their links with wetlands, and their experiences and actions to preserve those ecosystems of high ecological value.
Photo: Oristano, Sardinia (Italy). © MedWet/C.Amico
Ghar El Melh, a wetland for life
Mondher El-Hamrouni has worked with his father as a fisher since the age of 15. Despite having opportunities to leave, he has never managed to stay away from Ghar El Melh. But in recent years Mondher has witnessed changes in the lagoon which are affecting his work and income, and he’s asking for urgent solutions.
Farming between land and sea
Mohamed El Mabrouk is a farmer based in Ghar El Melh who carries on the tradition of the ‘Ramli’ – a type of cultivation unique to Tunisia. Ramlis are small islands constructed between the land and the sea, where crops are naturally irrigated by freshwater filtered through the ground by the movement of the tides. Besides preserving local livelihoods and cultural heritage, the Ramlis also actively contribute to the region’s resilience to climate change.
A dream of wetlands and people
Piera Pala is one of the main actors behind the Coastal Contract that was signed in 2019 by 11 mayors and local authorities in the Gulf of Oristano in Sardinia, Italy. In this short film, she tells us the story of how her dream came true.
The gentle guardians of the lagoon
Alberto was working in a supermarket and his brother Alessandro was a computer engineer – but today they’re running the Sant’Andrea fisher cooperative in the Gulf of Oristano. Here, they tell us about the importance of their mission.
Reviving Ulcinj Salina
Co-founder of the Martin Schneider Jacoby Association in Montenegro, Zenepa Lika is one of the wetlanders working to save and revive Ulcinj Salina. In 1983 Zenepa migrated to Germany with her parents. After finishing high school, she studied economics, then architecture at Bergische Universität Wuppertal, where she graduated in 2005. The unique natural beauty of her beloved city of Ulcinj made her decide to return to her homeland.
Salt pans give life
“When we were growing up, all of us children wanted to work in the salina. We loved it, because through the work Dad did we had a high standard of living, even though we were a large family. The salina has always been there to help us meet our needs,” says Mujo Taffa, former Ulcinj Salina water pump operator.
Restoration of Dunes in Buna Delta - Samela Vata
“We are a group of volunteers and youth, we realized that the place and the sea offer more than just a place to swim” says Samuela Vata, volunteer and leader of the Youth Project which is aiming to protect the local dunes from erosion.