Hidden within the quiet expanses of Venice’s lagoon lie the barene—salt marshes that may go unnoticed from a gondola yet play a fundamental role in preserving Venice’s ecological and cultural identity.
What Are the Barene?
Barene are intertidal salt marshes—vegetated sandbanks that appear and disappear with the tides. Shaped over centuries by river sediments, they are covered in specialized salt-tolerant plants like glasswort (Salicornia) and sea lavender (Limonium), and are skirted by natural channels known as ghebi.
Ecological Powerhouses
These marshes are ecological linchpins:
- Natural sponges: They absorb floodwaters and reduce wave energy, helping protect Venice’s fragile foundations Wikipedia.
- Water purifiers: Marine vegetation and sediments filter pollutants, improving lagoon water quality Footprint Magazine.
- Biodiversity havens: Over 200 bird species rely on them for feeding and resting; they also serve as nurseries for fish and marine life.
- Carbon sinks: As examples of “blue carbon” ecosystems, barene sequester up to 17,108 tons of carbon per square kilometer, equivalent to roughly 130,000 trees geoscienze.unipd.it.
A Vanishing Ecosystem
Yet, barene are increasingly endangered:
- Erosion and dredging: Nearly 72% of the lagoon’s salt marshes have disappeared over the last century, mainly due to deeper shipping canals and powerful boat wakes Ecosystem Services PartnershipWikipedia.
- Flood defenses: The MOSE system blocks high tides that traditionally deposited much-needed sediment, threatening the accretion of barene—critical to countering rising sea levels geoscienze.unipd.itLe Scienze.
- Sea-level rise: Projections estimate that by 2075, over 50% of marsh habitats may be submerged; by 2100, nearly all could be lost under severe climate scenarios Wikipedia.
Community-Led Efforts & Sustainable Tourism
Local projects and eco-tourism are part of the solution:
- The LIFE VIMINE project planted biodegradable structures to slow erosion, protecting over 600 hectares near Burano and Torcello veneziadaesplorare.com.
- Guided eco-tours, capped at small groups, educate visitors on the lagoon’s fragile balance and emphasize respectful interactions Footprint MagazineEuropean Heritage Hub.
VITAL: Restoring Venice Lagoon’s Barene for Ecosystem Resilience
Venice’s lagoon is one of the most iconic wetland ecosystems in the world, but it is under growing threat. The VITAL initiative—VenIce naTural cApitaL—led by We are here Venice in collaboration with Laguna~B and other scientific, institutional, and community partners, aims to protect, restore, and enhance the lagoon’s natural capital, with a particular focus on its salt marshes (barene). v-i-t-a-l.org+2lagunab.com+2
Why the barene matter
The barene are not just landscape: they are living ecosystems that provide essential services. They help sequester carbon, buffer tidal energy and wave action, retain sediment, purify water, support fish and other biodiversity, and offer cultural and recreational value to the people of Venice. v-i-t-a-l.org+1 Over the past decades, Venice’s lagoon has lost a significant portion of its barene due to erosion, subsidence, lack of new sediment supply, and human pressures such as channel dredging and increased boat traffic. v-i-t-a-l.org+1
What VITAL is doing
- Scientific research + monitoring: Using geoscientific and engineering methods (including 3D modelling of the lagoon’s morphology and stratigraphy) to understand how barene form, evolve, and degrade under various pressures like sea-level rise, waves, and varying sediment inputs. lagunab.com+3v-i-t-a-l.org+3v-i-t-a-l.org+3
- Restorative interventions: On sites where barene have been lost or degraded—often where artificial sediment colmata (fillings) exist—VITAL, working with partners like DEME/SIDRA, is implementing “nature-based“ restoration: opening hydrological connections (for example breaking fences or barriers), enabling tidal flow, encouraging native vegetation colonization, and helping soil and sediment dynamics to function. v-i-t-a-l.org+1
- Community involvement & awareness: The project engages with local stakeholders, researchers, institutions, and also with the general public through education, citizen science, and awareness-raising activities. For example, field monitoring, participatory observation, and workshops are part of the strategy. weareherevenice.org+2Maritime Forum+2
- Economic & policy tools: Recognizing the value of ecosystem services, VITAL works to quantify what the lagoon “offers” in terms of carbon storage, water purification, biodiversity, and how these could be integrated into decision-making, compensation schemes, or private / public partnerships. v-i-t-a-l.org+1
Challenges & vision
VITAL faces multiple challenges: ensuring enough sediment supply, coping with sea level rise, balancing ecological restoration with human infrastructure and usage (boating, port operations, etc.), and securing long-term maintenance. However, its vision is ambitious: to establish a model of lagoon restoration that is ecologically robust, socially inclusive, and replicable elsewhere. It aims not only to repair lost barene, but to help Venice and its lagoon system adapt to climate change while preserving their natural, cultural and aesthetic value. Maritime Forum
Why They Matter for Venice
The barene are more than marshes—they are the living foundation of the lagoon, buffering against floods, fostering life, and trapping carbon. Their decline signals a warning: without restoration, the lagoon’s health—and Venice’s very survival—hangs in the balance.
