The Landscape Award aims to raise civil society awareness of the value of landscapes, their role and changes. Its aim is to recognize practical initiatives in line with the implementation of the Landscape Convention. The prize is awarded every two years at a meeting of the Deputy Ministers of the Environment of each State Party.

The Salt of Life project was implemented in the Natura 2000 area of ​​Atanasovsko Lake (BG0000270), which is one of the key hotspots of biodiversity in the Black Sea biogeographical region. The beautiful and colorful Atanasovsko Lake, as we know it now, is largely the result of the symbiosis between man and nature - significantly modified for salt-producing purposes, which has made the place so rich and significant for European nature. Nowadays, when the coast is heavily affected by urbanization, the lagoon is of strategic importance for the conservation of biodiversity along the Black Sea coast.

The project actions directly addressed all threats to Atanasovsko Lake Lagoon and communicated the importance of salt pans for Atanasovsko Lake, creating an allusion to the importance of salt, hence the project's motto: Salt of Life.

The first prize went to "Biodiversity in the City: Bergamo and the Astino Valley, Italy", followed by the Salt of Life of the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation, Bulgaria. They are accompanied by other distinguished landmarks from Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey.

"This is great recognition for us, and the high appreciation we received for our work and Atanasovsko Lake give us the motivation to continue working and to be convinced that what we do for nature conservation has its meaning and value for people. But this award is also a great responsibility for all on whom the future of the lake depends. Because any unnecessary and ill-considered intervention will lead to the irreversible loss of the unique landscape of Atanasovsko Lake - perhaps the most remarkable and iconic landscape of Burgas. The aesthetic pleasure it gives in all seasons is the reason why we on the BBF declare 2022 the Year of Inspiration from Nature.”- shares Radostina Tzenova from the BBF.

For everything achieved within the "Salt of Life" see http://saltoflife.biodiversity.bg/bg/ and for all the news about Atanasovsko Lake follow our Facebook Lagoon of Life or the website https://lagoon.biodiversity.bg/

The European Landscape Convention aims to promote the protection, management and planning of landscapes and to unite European cooperation in this field. This is the first international treaty dedicated exclusively to all dimensions of the European landscape. Taking into account the landscape, natural and cultural values ​​of the territory, it contributes to promoting the quality of life and well-being of Europeans.