The Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar Tree Group, with Ramblers’ Association, NatureTrust Malta, Friends of the Earth (Malta), Malta Organic Agriculture Movement, Greenhouse, Youth for the Environment and Gozo University Group, this morning a video and a petition during a press conference at Senglea, aimed at safeguarding Malta’s trees .

FAA said it has produced this short video to raise awareness of the social, environmental and economic benefits of trees.

In their appeal to the public the NGOs said, “In Malta we are facing an almost daily destruction of the natural heritage of our towns and villages, especially trees.

“At a time when Governments worldwide are running programmes to increase the trees in their already leafy cities, we are witnessing the uprooting of once-beautiful trees due to misguided road ’embellishments’ or claims that that trees are ‘dirty’ and cause bird droppings.

“Supposedly-protected old gardens and their trees are also under attack and often destroyed. Worst still, infringements on permits and other environmental crimes are most often rewarded by being sanctioned by the Authorities.

“Changes to the tree protection regulations in 2011 have deprived most of the urban trees of any protection. Trees have been destroyed at Fgura, Zabbar, Cospicua, Luqa, Zebbug, Sliema and Mellieha and Victoria and now we are facing the destruction of over 2,000 more at Salina, Kappara, Floriana and Senglea.

“Residents are being deprived of their trees which are scientifically proven to be so important to our health and well-being.

“Help us stop this butchery of trees by sending the letter below demanding that Government stops this destruction of our tree heritage.

Act now – tomorrow may be too late!” The NGOs concluded.

The video is on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3dl08F5SGo.

The petition is available online here.

Photographs – FAA: From top left – Bormla, It-Tokk in Victoria, Gozo and Mellieha before and after.

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