Salda Lake, which has drawn the attention of scientists due to its resemblance to the planet Mars, has been added to the UNESCO World Geological Heritage List.
Salda Lake, also known as “Türkiye’s Mars,” captivates visitors with its pristine white beaches, turquoise waters, and the stunning nature that surrounds it.
Salda Lake is located in the Yeşilova district of Burdur province in Türkiye’s Mediterranean region.
Prof. Dr. Nurgül Balcı, a faculty member of the Department of Geological Engineering at Istanbul Technical University (ITU), who prepared the nomination file for Salda Lake for the World Geological Congress, noted that its resemblance to the planet Mars played a significant role in its inclusion in the “List of the 100 Most Important Geological Heritage Sites in the World.”
Balcı emphasized that for a site to be defined as a geological heritage, it must possess visual value that can describe any geological event and stand out from other geological features. “Salda Lake met this criterion. The second criterion is the presence of scientific geological knowledge regarding its significance. My most important contribution was to present this scientific data,” she stated.
Scientific studies related to Salda are also being conducted under the leadership of the ITU Geomicrobiology-Biogeochemistry Research Group.
In recent years, particularly through collaborations with NASA, they have determined that the carbonates around the lake are not only visually prominent but also geologically significant.
Balcı continued, “Scientific knowledge was an important criterion in this selection, and we provided that. We stated that ‘Salda is one of the rare places that closely resembles the carbonates found in the Jezero crater on Mars.’ We demonstrated that the traces here could provide clues for the search for life on planets in the solar system, including Mars. To make such claims, the projects you conduct with scientific data need to be recognized in the international community. After the commission members reviewed the acceptance of these studies, Salda was declared a geological heritage.”
Salda Lake is under threat from climate change.
Balcı warned AA reporters that Salda is an area that could easily be destroyed due to the ongoing climate crisis. She emphasized the need to protect the lake, stating, “We tried to draw attention to this in our application. The Geological Heritage Commission evaluated this information and included Salda Lake on the list. The whole world has recognized that this is an area that needs to be protected. For those working on Mars, this will be a focal point. In this sense, I believe that scientific studies in the lake will be accelerated. Other sites from Turkey that are candidates for the geological heritage list also need sufficient scientific research. Why couldn’t Nemrut be included? Because more work needs to be done on it, and the international community needs to be convinced.”