Turkish Ministry to Limit Access to White Islands of Lake Salda

In the southwestern province of Burdur, a limited number of people will be allowed to visit the lake’s protected White Islands area, where 1.5 million people visit annually.

"Maldives” due to its bright azure waters and white sands, will be decreased to some 570,000, with a maximum of 540 people allowed to visit the White Islands area at a time.

Wooden barriers erected 500 meters (1,640 feet) behind the lake prevent vehicles from passing along the lake’s shore. The irregular structures were removed, and garbage is being regularly collected in the area. All kinds of illegal temporary structures, tents and container-type buildings were also removed.

The area of Salda Lake Nature Park, which spanned 120 acres (48.5 hectares), was expanded to 570 acres (230.6 hectares) last year.

The ministry also prohibited smoking at Lake Salda’s White Islands area, and a commission under Burdur Governor’s office was also set up to inspect the area twice a week.

NASA said on March 9 that the minerals and rock deposits at Salda are the nearest match on Earth to those around the Mars’ Jezero Crater where the NASA spacecraft landed, and which is believed to have once been flooded with water.

Information gathered from Lake Salda may help the scientists as they search for fossilized traces of microbial life preserved in sediment thought to have been deposited around the delta and the long-vanished lake it once fed,” Reuters reported quoting some NASA officials.