(ANSA) - The Italian authorities have sent out a ship carrying a team of its top scientists on a mission to find a highly precious commodity - 10,000-year-old sand. This particular sand is so valuable because it's needed to stop the nation's seaside tourism trade from literally crumbling into the sea.
Every year the Mediterranean munches up chunks of the Italian coastline, taking a slice of one of the economy's main assets with it. The problem is complicated because the authorities cannot use any old sand to replace the stuff that gets washed away. This is because the sand won't settle properly if its
grains are too big or small, and 'foreign' sand would not look right either.
So Environment Ministry ship Astrea is currently scanning the sea floor for deposits of ancient sands, which have the right consistency and are fit to turn back the tide of erosion. "The Astrea is in the sea for the 2005 campaign and our researchers' foremost operation is to seek out sand for the reconstruction of beaches hit by marine erosion," explained Folco Quilici, the president of the Environment Ministry's
Scientific Institute (ICRAM).
The Astrea is conducting its search in areas off the Italian coast at depths of 60-100 metres. Sand in these areas is perfect, because 10,000 years ago when the Mediterranean was lower, this is where the coastline
used to be.
The sand found can be sucked up by massive tankers using special pipes, and then taken to the endangered beaches for spraying. Experts say the damage caused to the ecosystem by removing the sand is minimal, and easily outweighed by the positive environmental and economic consequences of the operation.
This system has been successfully used at a number of Italian resorts, such as Ostia near Rome, Cavallino in Veneto and Cala Gonone in Sardinia. But many more sites need similar rescue interventions. ICRAM estimates 150 million cubic metres of sand are needed for beach reconstruction in the regions of Lazio,
Tuscany and Liguria alone, and that 1.7 million cubic metres more is needed each year for coastline maintenance.
According to the National Coast Erosion Observatory, Italy is the European nation that is most exposed to the threat of erosion. Environment Minister Altero Matteoli described it as a "national emergency, from an environmental, scenic and economic point of view." Although erosion is a natural phenomenon, climate change and human activity has caused it accelerate in recent years. Among the causes are deforestation, urban development along coasts and rivers, the laying of cement along river banks and dams, which reduce the rivers' ability to transport sediments, something which is fundamentally important for the
maintenance of coastal areas' natural equilibrium. If Italy does not tackle the problem it will have to pay
a hefty price.
The Observatory claims that marine erosion has cost Italy around five billion euros in the last few years. This figure is based on the calculation that every square meter of beach generates an average of 1,200 euros in tourism revenue every year and that four million square metres have been lost.
Given that this is the case, beach reconstruction initiatives are an excellent investment. "Every euro invested in restoring beaches generates a return of 100-150 euros in the first few years after the
operation," read an Observatory report in April. "It is fundamental that there is a major investment-intervention programme that enables us to re-launch seaside tourism, one of Italy's top industries, along with the rest of our artistic and cultural heritage, something which is vital for our country's image and wealth."
