Saltpans are an interesting type of wetland. Although manmade, many have become very important habitats for birds across the Mediterranean, and the saltpans at Ulcinj are among the most important in the whole region. They’re the last stop-off for birds migrating across the Adriatic, and they also provide crucial nesting, wintering and roosting grounds for many others – more than 250 species have been recorded at Ulcinj, including flamingos, black-winged stilts and Dalmatian pelicans. The saltpans are also home to many endangered fish, amphibians, reptiles and saline plants.

The salt works at Ulcinj were set up in 1935, producing up to 40,000 tonnes a year at their peak and providing more than 400 jobs. But they were privatised in 2005 and systematically run down. The salt harvest was stopped in 2013 and the remaining workers dismissed, and the site was allowed to deteriorate as legally questionable efforts were made to sell it and construct a luxury hotel resort with golf courses and a marina.

A sustained international campaign finally won a landmark victory in June 2019, when the saltpans were declared a national protected area in recognition of their ecological and cultural value; then as from July 2019, Ulcinj Salina was designated as a Ramsar site. But the years of neglect have come at a heavy cost. The dykes and channels that make up the complex wetland system have run into disrepair, and its ecological processes have been disrupted. Already bird numbers are falling as some species struggle to adapt.

If Ulcinj Salina is to maintain its immense importance, it needs to be actively managed once more. A long-term conservation campaign aims to achieve full legal protection and effective new management, while creating sustainable incomes through salt production, wildlife tourism and other small business opportunities.