Riserva naturale integrale Saline di Trapani e Paceco

The saline work museum

Salt harvest

Riserva naturale integrale Saline di Trapani e Paceco is a nature reserve in the Province of Trapani between the municipalities of Trapani and Paceco at the west coast of Sicily. It was founded in 1995 and in the framework of the Ramsar Convention entrusted to WWF Italy. Its area of 987 ha consists of two zones (Zona A and Zona B). Besides remarkable Mediterranean flora and fauna, there is a saline work museum in an old salt mill.

Flora and fauna

Calendula maritima

This nature reserve is the habitat of many endemic plant species. The halophyte flora which is adaptable to the salt marshes and the soils with high salt concentrations is represented by some of the rarest plants of Sicily, like the sea marigold (Calendula maritima), Limoniastrum monopetalum, Cynomorium coccineum, or Limonium densiflorum.

Rare animals are the osprey (Pandion haliaetus), the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), the common painted frog (Discoglossus pictus), as well as the insect species Bucherillo littoralis, Stenoniscus carinatus, Pterolepis elymica, Cicindela circumdata imperialis, Cicindela littorea goudati, Teia dubia, and Aphanius fasciatus.

The salt works are an important stopover for many European migratory birds before they fly across the Strait of Sicily to Africa. In all 170 bird species have been counted here.

Salt Museum

Located in an old mill, the Salt Museum is a private structure with tools and an exhibition of the traditional activity of the artisanal production of salt. Nearby is the "Salina Culcasi", with Torre di Nubia ( 37°58′54″N 12°29′41″E ) of the ancient system Torri costiere della Sicilia to prevent stealing salt by the Barbary pirates from nord Africa maghrebino.

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  Torre Nubia near Salina Culcasi of Paceco (Trapani)
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  Torre Nubia: Tower view from arc of museum
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  Ancient stone millstone
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  Ancient stone millstone (other side)
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  Museo del Sale di Trapani e Paceco: old Archimedes' screw (front)
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  Museo del Sale di Trapani e Paceco: old Archimedes' screw
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  Museo del Sale di Trapani e Paceco: Shaft transmission wheel
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  Museo del Sale di Trapani e Paceco: Shaft transmission wheel (In his working position)
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  Museo del Sale di Trapani e Paceco: Shaft transmission wheel (In his working position)
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  Museo del Sale di Trapani e Paceco: Water car (Carro dell'acqua)
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  Museo del Sale di Trapani e Paceco: Water car (Carro dell'acqua)
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  Water lifting mill said american

External links

• Official website (English and Italian)
• La pista ciclabile come elemento di riqualificazione della Riserva Naturale Orientata delle Saline di Trapani e Paceco (Italian with maps and photographes)