Last updated: March 2025
Salines Beach, a popular destination for over a million visitors annually (Ref 9), is facing severe erosion due to rising sea levels and poor coastal management. Since 1995, the beach has lost more than 20 meters in width. This loss has been worsened by vehicle traffic and the introduction of coconut trees in the 1950s, which reduced the native root systems that once helped to stabilize the coast (Ref 5). Now, the encroaching sea threatens to swallow the road that runs along the beach. In response, the Salines Conservation Committee—comprised of concerned community members and environmental groups—has been advocating for urgent action to halt the erosion. They have called for a renaturalization of the area through the replanting of endemic species and restrictions on car traffic, both aimed at restoring the beach’s natural resilience. When part of the road collapsed in July 2022, the committee took immediate action, organizing community-based interventions. These efforts included blocking traffic, raising public awareness, and planting over 60 endemic plants in the damaged area. The aim was to reestablish a root network capable of anchoring the coastline and capturing shifting sands (Ref 1; 2). The intervention was described as "a response to the urgent need to rebuild the root network, an ecological engineering solution recognized as the most effective method for retaining beach sand and slowing coastal erosion" (Ref 2; 1). The intervention on this section of the coast was first completed, then discarded by the municipality of Sainte-Anne (Ref 2). Regional and National agencies are currently undertaking the restoration works but it is unclear the stage of completion (See Ref 3).
Image of volunteers intervening
Retrieved from : https://rci.fm/martinique/infos/Environnement/Une-action-ecologiste-est-en-cours-sur-la-plage-des-Salines
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Coastlines
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
- Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Preservation of natural heritage
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Tourism support
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Coastal hazards (e.g. erosion, flooding)
- Sea level rise
- Extreme weather events (e.g. storms, hurricanes)
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Economic losses due to disasters and environmental degradation
- Resource Scarcity and Competition
- Over-exploitation of natural resources (water resources, overgrazing, fisheries, mangroves, fore products)
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Coastal landscape management or protection, Coastal ecosystems restoration and maintenance (mangroves, dunes, saltplains, underwater meadows), Improving coastal resilience, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Soil remediation and revegetation, Ecological restoration of existing green spaces, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Marine and coastal conservation initiatives, Knowledge creation and awareness raising, Indigenous and community-based conservation initiatives
Project objectives
1) The goals of the community-based intervention were to address the disappearance of the beach by:
-Raising awareness among the authorities, the people of Saint-Anne, and Martinique about the issue of government inaction and the neglect of protection measures on the coastal side of the Salines (Ref 2, 1).
-Preventing erosion and increasing resilience: re-naturalising the area with endemic species (nutritive and medicinal plants) that create a network of roots, contain the sand and prevent further erosion on the degraded portion of the beach (Ref 2, 1).
-Reduce the amount of motorised traffic on the beach to protect and preserve the coastal environment (Ref 1).
2) The goals of the ONF are to balance conservation efforts with socio-economic development:
-Short-term: regulating traffic “to preserve the environment” and moving economic activities (Ref 3; 7).
-Long-term: re-naturalise a section of the area with endemic species and add soil (Ref 3; 7; 8)
Implementation activities
1) The implemention of the community-based intervention:
-Following the sagging in July 2022, volunteers blocked the traffic and spread awareness of the problem with ressource users for a period of two months.
-At the end of October 2022, the community group organised at least two days of renaturation. Introducing specific endemic plants, such as the red gum tree, seaside olive tree, and sea grape tree over the piece of road that had sagged (nutritive and medicinal properties). On November 5th, the Municipality of Sainte-Anne had already layed gravel over the piece of road.
2) The ONF's intervention:
-In September 2023, the road was blocked for a period of three weeks to improve signage, renovate the road, reorganise and reduce parking areas, reinforce the round-about and three businesses were placed elsewhere along the beach (Ref 3; 7).
-Longer term intervention: harvest native plants and species before the end of 2023, raise them in a nursery for 8 to 9 months. Between December 2024 and February 2025, the gravel on the portions where renaturation is planned, will be removed, topsoil will be added and the native plants will be planted and maintained (Ref 3).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
- Restore sediment supply to coastal zone
- Protect and restore coastal ecosystems, to address loss of land and livelihoods, due to rising sea levels
Communities vulnerable to environmental hazards or climate change impacts
Yes
Specification of climate or environmentally vulnerable communities
Coastal communities
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity restoration:
- Rehabilitate and restore damaged or destroyed ecosystems
- Restore species (native, endangered, or unspecified)
- Restore native species
- Restore valued species
- Restore endangered species
- Public engagement
Main beneficiaries
- Citizens or community groups
- Other
Governance
Management set-up
- Co-governance with government and non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Non-government organisation/civil society
- Citizens or community group
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- The project didn't involve any form of stakeholder participatory activities
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The first intervention was organized by a grassroots group called the Salines Conservation Committee, composed of volunteers, local residents, and "users of the Salines" (Ref 2, 1). Soon after they planted the trees, the municipality dismantled their action.
The second intervention is being implemented by the National Office for Forests (ONF), in partnership with the Martinique Regional Park (public institution), the regional agency "CTM," the city of Sainte-Anne, the intermunicipal development agency "CAESM," and the Coastline Conservatory (public governmental body). This intervention is part of the "Opération Grand Site des Salines à la Baie des Anglais," a government-backed initiative that has been in development since 2013. The project, spearheaded by the CTM and implemented by the Martinique Regional Park, secured funding to address coastal preservation efforts (Ref 3, 7, 9).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
No
... a local policy or strategy?
Unknown
Type of enablers
NGOs/Community groups driving the implementation, Collaboration with other projects that implemented NBS, Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
€100,000 - €500,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public national budget
- Public regional budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Increased protection against sea level rise
- Expected increased protection against sea level rise
- Storm / wave induced erosion and flooding
- Expected storm / wave induced erosion and flooding
- Green space and habitat
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased number of species present
- Expected increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- More sustainable tourism
- Expected more sustainable tourism
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of natural heritage
- Expected protection of natural heritage
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
Martinique la 1ère (2022). Des militants écologiques voulant limiter l’érosion de la côte ont participé à une opération de renaturation, ce dimanche matin (23 octobre 2022), sur la plage des Salines. Ils se sont mobilisés pour planter des espèces végétales afin de contenir le sable. la 1ère, Accessed on August 16, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Comité de sauvegarde des salines (2022). COMMUNIQUÉ Adressé à la CTM, la DEAL, du Préfet et de l’ONF. Accessed on August 16, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Le Saint, L. (2023). Début des travaux aux Salines, l'accès à la plage fermé la semaine. RCI web, Accessed on August 16, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Martinique la 1ère (2022). e constat est aujourd’hui sans appel : une grande partie de la grande anse des salines est en érosion. Un comité pour la sauvegarde de la plage des Salines bloque, depuis le dimanche 24 juillet 2022, la circulation automobile pour alerter les visiteurs su. La1ère, Accessed on August 16, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Zananas (n.d.). Une des plus belles plages de la Caraïbe. Zananas, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Ville-data (2024). Sainte-Anne, Population en Hausse en 2024, Démographie. Ville-data, Accessed on August 30, 2024, [Source link];
7.
rci.fm (2023). Des travaux vont démarrer sur la voie d'accès à la plage des Salines à Sainte-Anne. rci.fm, Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
8.
Cloquell, L., J. and Saint Ville, P. (2021). Plage des Salines : un projet de réaménagement d'une dizaine d'emplacements. rci.fm, Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Parc Naturel Regional de Martinique (n.d.). OPERATION GRAND SITE “DES SALINES A LA BAIE DES ANGLAIS”. Parc Naturel Regional de Martinique, Accessed on September 13, 2024, [Source link];
Poster for implementation
https://rci.fm/martinique/infos/Informations-pratiques/Debut-des-travaux-aux-Salines-lacces-la-plage-ferme-la-semaine
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.