BirdLife Malta today condemned the destruction of over 170 trees at Xrobb l-Ghagin Park reported by Nature Trust Malta yesterday, adding that it is deplorable that in this day and age such cowardly acts continue to undermine the work of environmental organisations and the government.

Nature Trust Malta yesterday reported that 170 newly planted trees, an afforestation initiative that complements the setting up of the Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre, were uprooted and stolen over the weekend. The organisation further reported that vandals broke into the park’s property and even stole equipment.

Such incidents replicate past events at other afforestation sites, such as at the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieha in 2004 and again in 2010. Two men were convicted in court of the 2010 incident following police investigations.

Commenting on the vandal act, BirdLife Malta’s president Joseph Mangion said, “Whoever is responsible for this senseless destruction has not only committed a crime against the environment, but has acted against the interests of the public who enjoy nature through the use of the park.”

BirdLife Malta expressed solidarity with its sister organisation and expressed hope that the culprits of these acts are successfully apprehended, prosecuted and handed a sentence commensurate with their acts.

Photo shows “The stump of one of the trees vandalized at the Foresta 2000 afforestation project- from the BirdLife Malta archive.”

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