President George Abela attended an event marking the beginning of Nature Trust (Malta)’s 50th anniversary celebrations at Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre in Delimara this morning.
The President was one of 50 personalities, ranging from politicians and business people to singers and actors, who planted a tree each to mark the environment NGO’s 50th birthday.
Nature Trust founding member Guido Lanfranco spoke about the way things have changed since the NGO was set up 50 years ago. He explained that back then, people labelled him as a strange person, a lunatic even, when he started studying plants and insects.
Nature Trust executive president Vince Attard spoke about the way the NGO has evolved over the years, current projects, and the problems it has had to face, not least those related to vandalism.
While expressing appreciation for the support of a number of sponsors, Mr Attard observed that the financial crisis naturally had a negative effect on the amount of financial assistance that companies could offer.
President George Abela, on his part, praised the work carried out by Nature Trust’s volunteers. Among other things, he mentioned the work in the field of education.
He said a group of children had taught him about the national tree, the Sandarac Gum Tree (l-Gharghar), and had even shown him one in the grounds of San Anton Palace. This type of education is important from a socio-economic point of view, not only in terms of environmental awareness, noted Dr Abela.
Nature Trust said it is a privileged partner of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and is one if the oldest and largest environment NGOs dealing with the natural environment of the Maltese Islands. When it was set up on the 12th of December 1962, the NGO was called the Natural History Society of Malta.
The name Nature Trust (Malta) came about in January 1999 when a merger of four NGOs took place – the Society for the Study and Conservation of Nature (formerly known as Natural History Society of Malta) founded 1962, Arbor founded 1983, Verde founded 1997 and Marine Life Care Group (MLCG).
Over the years it has worked and lobbied hard to get legal protection for various plants and animals in the Maltese Islands, helping to save some of the local endemic species from extinction.
Today the NGO said it is very active in environmental education through various means, as it strongly believes that education is the best tool to create awareness on nature conservation.
The organisation has also been carrying out several environmental projects such as afforestation, habitat conservation and the creation of marine protected areas.
Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre, where today’s event was held, covers more than 155,000 square metres on a jutting peninsula with scenic views in the Delimara area.
The purpose of the project is to help to educate the public and carry out research on sustainable development solutions with a view to promoting wastewater management and the use of renewable energy, and also to safeguard biodiversity.
Xrobb l-Ghagin will be open to the public between 9am and 5pm this coming Saturday and Sunday, and Nature Trust volunteers will be available to take visitors on guided tours on the hour.
The NGO said that it is doing its best to try extending the centre’s opening hours, and next week will be open between 9am and 5pm. For further information please email info@naturetrustmalta.org [1].
Photograph shows, from left to right, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi, President George Abela, Archbishop Paul Cremona, Nature Trust executive president Vince Attard and others on a short walk around Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park