Over time, the lagoon shrunk, species began to die off and algae–fed by pollution – proliferated, releasing a powerful odor as it decayed, Erath says. The lagoon’s decline threatened a host of industries, from fishing to tourism to salt mining. wo years ago, that began to change thanks to the effort supported by UNEP, and funded by the Chilean government and the Global Environment Facility. Engineers and the local government developed a plan to breach a sandbar that separated the lagoon from the sea, says Luis Araya, who coordinated the work in Cahuil under the Global Environment Facility.

Wetlands bring economic opportunities as they spring back to life. (2025, February 25). Manila Standard, p. B4.