Salt lakes around the world are experiencing a profound environmental crisis, with many of them decreasing to alarming levels. A significant portion of society still considers these ecosystems not worthy of protection, which makes their conservation difficult. The lack of awareness about these environments leads to the erroneous perception that these lakes are useless and do not provide the services traditionally associated with freshwater lakes.
However, there is a community dedicated to changing these misconceptions. Every two years, FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake organizes a forum to create spaces for debate and learning to develop successful strategies for protecting this site. Beyond their importance for biodiversity, salt lakes provide benefits that influence the associated communities’ quality of life, health, economy, and identity.
For three days, dozens of professionals — researchers, educators, artists, politicians, members of civil organizations, and others — gather to exchange information about the main issues affecting the Great Salt Lake and other salt lakes around the world and to discuss concrete solutions to mitigate and reverse the threats that endanger their conservation. The main objective of the Great Salt Lake Issues Forum (GSLIF) is to create a constructive dialogue about the future of the lake ecosystem and its resources. During the talks and panels in the program, the Great Salt Lake is explored from multiple angles, emphasizing its ecological and natural values and its intrinsic values that contribute to the history, culture, and identity of the region’s inhabitants.
Left: Janice Gardner, Rose Smith, Pedro César Costa, Max Malmquist, and Marcela Castellino at the Great Salt Lake Issues Forum. Right: Marcela Castellino during her keynote presentation. Photos: Courtesy GSLIF
The Executive Office of the Hemispheric Network was privileged to participate in the fourteenth edition of the GSLIF, held in Salt Lake City on May 8-10, 2024. Each year, the forum has a defining theme that determines the common thread linking the talks, presentations, and discussions. This edition’s theme was: “ Great Salt Lake: To preserve and protect in perpetuity, how are we doing? “. With the inclusion of representatives from other sites in the region and the hemisphere, the organizers aim to create spaces for sharing essential knowledge about these ecosystems that help conserve the Great Salt Lake and other salt lakes of the Western Hemisphere. During this edition, Marcela Castellino (Salt Lakes Conservation Specialist for WHSRN’s Executive Office) shared a summary of Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) situation at the hemispheric level. The talk highlighted the importance of this network of lakes for phalaropes, especially the Wilson’s Phalarope (the only one of the three species in the genus distributed entirely at the continental level), emphasizing the importance of the Great Salt Lake as key links within this Network of sites. Additionally, she shared updates on the most recent monitoring efforts conducted in South America. She also devoted much of the presentation to sharing results from simultaneous phalarope surveys since 2019 at six critical sites in North America. These surveys were made possible by the fieldwork of partners at each site. At the regional level, the surveys were coordinated by Ryan Carle from Oikonos Ecosystem Knowledge. Finally, Marcela highlighted the numerous ongoing projects related to the research and monitoring of the Wilson’s Phalarope, including recent efforts to capture and tag individuals to study their migratory movements, periodic surveys conducted every summer at Mar Chiquita Lagoon, simultaneous surveys every boreal summer in North America, and the upcoming Simultaneous Phalarope Survey in non-breeding areas of South America, planned for February 2025. Additionally, she mentioned the educational efforts carried out as part of the Experiencia Ambientalia educational program. The talk also provided an opportunity to inform/remind attendees about the existence of the International Phalarope Working Group and the latest advances and results from the group’s last meeting, held in February 2024 at Mar Chiquita Lagoon, Córdoba, Argentina.
A large flock of phalaropes exhibiting their typical “wave” flying pattern.
Our salt lakes need us. They need active and committed communities, sensitive but strategic leaders, and human and financial resources focused on research, information generation, and adequately managing these ecosystems’ natural resources. Spaces like the GSLIF are extremely valuable and necessary and serve as an example and inspiration for other sites within the Network. The future of the Great Salt Lake and all salt lakes worldwide is now. This is the time to become aware and commit ourselves to protecting our salt lakes.
Cover Photo: Sunset at Great Salt Lake. Photo: FRIENDS of the Great Salt Lake
