Türkiye’s Lake Salda named among UN's top 100 Geological Heritage Sites

Lake Salda, a popular oasis in Türkiye’s southwestern Burdur province, has been included among the "Top 100 Most Important Geological Heritage Sites in the World."

The lake surrounded by green hills, where shades of blue blend with white sands, was named a prestigious site at the 37th World Geological Congress being held in Busan, South Korea, between August 25 and 31.

The list is part of a project initiated by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and supported by UNESCO.

"Being on the list means better protection for Salda. We need to protect Lake Salda much better," said Nizamettin Kazanci, vice president of the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO, who confirmed the news and expressed pride in the inclusion of Lake Salda.

He added that various public institutions are working together to ensure the lake's preservation amid growing tourism interest, urging visitors to respect sensitive areas of the lake and contribute to its ongoing protection efforts.

'Mars on Earth'

Located in Yesilova district of Burdur province, Lake Salda is an 184-meter-deep, highly alkaline lake within a closed basin, covering an area of 44 square kilometres with no outflow. Nestled at an altitude of 1,193 meters among the Taurus Mountains, the lake is rich in magnesium, which gives the sand on its shores a distinctive white colour.

What sets Lake Salda apart from other lakes is its unique geobiochemical ecological process, conducive to the formation of stromatolites. As a result of this process, white hydromagnesite-rich stromatolites form at the lakebed. These deposits, formed through the interaction of climate, geological structures, bacteria, and cyanobacteria, are believed to have first appeared on Earth around 3.5 billion years ago, making them some of the oldest known fossils.

Today, modern stromatolite formations, which are considered contemporary examples of these ancient fossils, can be observed in Lake Salda

Measures taken against pollution

The pristine waters and sands of Lake Salda have been under threat due to pollution caused by the increasing number of visitors and the presence of irregular structures.

Since 2019, the lake has been defined as a Special Environmental Protection Area, and Türkiye's Environment and Urbanization Ministry has been taking steps to protect its ecosystem.

Nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and universities are researching the biodiversity in and around Lake Salda, which has even gained attention from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), being referred to as “Mars on Earth.”

The minerals and rock deposits at Lake Salda closely resemble those found around the Jezero Crater on Mars. NASA suggested studying the lake could provide important information for their search for fossilized traces of microbial life.

A science centre is currently being established at the Lake, which will also be available for use by NASA to support microbial ecology and biodiversity research.