Be the first to comment!Official opening of Mater Dei Mediterranean woodland
 Email item
|  Print item
|
|
Health Minister Joe Cassar officially opened an area that has been converted into a Mediterranean woodland close to the Mater Dei Mortuary building this morning. A piece of degraded land forming part of Wied Ghollieqa was restored and converted into a quiet, educational area in the grounds surrounding the hospital.
This was a joint venture between Mater Dei Hospital, GO plc and Nature Trust (Malta). The NGO planned the restoration of the site in a way that would complement the rest of the valley – a protected site managed by Nature Trust itself. GO plc sponsored the trees and shrubs, and Mater Dei staff planted and took care of them. The Parks Department helped out with the restoration of the low rubble walls. A special thanks goes to ex-Mater Dei official Denis Grech, who believed in the project and was committed to see it completed.
A total of 2,000 indigenous trees and shrubs were planted over the last two years. The species in the woodland include pine, oak, carob, dwarf palm, myrtle, rosemary, pomegranate and bay laurel.
Back in 2009, during the Earth Garden festival, GO plc promised to plant a tree for every five top-up cards that people returned to be recycled. The initiative was a great success and GO committed to plant 3,000 trees in all. Apart from the 2,000 trees and shrubs planted in the Mediterranean woodland, an additional 1,000 trees will be planted in another area of the hospital.
The health minister, together with Mater Dei CEO Joseph Caruana, GO CEO David Kay and the Nature Trust executive president, planted a Sandarac Gum Tree (Gharghar) – the national tree during this morning’s opening ceremony.
Students from St Joseph School Blata l-Bajda and St Francis School Sliema participating in the EkoSkola project also attended this morning’s event. They planted a Sandarac Gum Tree on behalf of each school and donated stickers that will be placed in different areas of Mater Dei Hospital. The stickers form part of a campaign reminding people to switch off the lights when they leave a room as a means of saving energy.
EkoSkola is an International programme run in Malta by Nature Trust (Malta), and this year, particular focus is being placed on the link between a healthy environment and healthy lifestyles.
Photos – Martin Attard DOI.
