New areas to form part of the European Union’s Natura 2000 network have been designated to further complete the network for Malta, and includes Gozo’s Wied il-Mielah, situated in the limits of Gharb, the Ministry for the Environment has said.
The area has also now been designated as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and declared as a Special Protection Area (SPA).
Wied il-Mielah, known mostly for its geology and It-Tieqa, was designated due to the presence of typical coastal plant communities and its cliffs, which also house important breeding and nesting area of seabirds, particularly the Yelkouan and Scopoli’s Shearwaters.
The other new Natura 2000 sites are Tal-Wej, in the limits of Mosta and Has-Saptan, within the limits of Birzebbuga, which have also been designated as Special Areas of Conservation.
Furthermore, l-Ghadira s-Safra, an existing Natura 2000 site, has been extended to cover further elements of ecological importance.
Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia made the announcement on the occasion of World Environment Day 2020.
He explained that the proposed sites will be added to the 34 terrestrial Natura 2000 sites already in place in the Maltese Islands, which currently cover over 13% of the total land area of the Maltese Islands.
The Minister also reiterated his commitment to protect key habitats and species to ensure their conservation for future generations.
“Quality of life means that all citizens should be granted access to more recreational spaces, as well as heritage sites, which will allow them to fully appreciate and enjoy what their native country has to offer,” said the Minister.
He stressed that, “this principle also extends to the conservation and preservation of these sites, which will ensure they remain accessible to future generations.”
“Nature and biodiversity are not just a nice-to-have – they are essential. Essential because of the quality of our air and our food, as well as the state of our economy and health, depends on it,” stated the Minister. “To protect this, we need to also provide adequate protection and care to sites of ecological importance,” he added.
Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) CEO Michelle Piccinino said that the protection announced today for these sites “shows ERA’s commitment towards the environment and its vision for the future for a healthier environment and improved wellbeing.”
Tal-Wej and the Has-Saptan areas were designated due to the presence of temporary freshwater rock pools, which are rare in the Maltese Islands.
These habitats support unique communities, with species like the Maltese Horned Pondweed, unique to Malta in the world; and Maltese Waterwort, a species confined to the Maltese Islands and the nearby Pelagian Islands (Italy) in the world. These pools also support populations of the otherwise very rare Tadpole Shrimp.
The ERA explained that the boundary of the already established Natura 2000 site l-Ghadira s-Safra was extended both landward and seaward. This new designation incorporates the area which was rehabilitated by ERA in 2017 following the removal of the redundant coast road, as well as the rocky shoal, known as l-Iskoll tal-Ghallis, which lies offshore to l-Ghadira s-Safra and which is of significant importance to a variety of coastal maritime species and birds.
ERA also issued a Conservation Order and Protection Notice to geological features in the area of Ta’ Lanzun at Tal-Mensija, within the limits of San Gwann.
It said that this area is now listed as a Special Area of Geological Importance and addresses a subsidence structure, known as a doline, similar to the more famous Il-Maqluba.