A number of guardianship deeds for the protection and use of sites that are important from both an environmental and a historical point of view, have been signed with eNGOs.

This collaboration will “further enhance the ongoing investment in our natural areas, including Natura2000 sites,” Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia said.

He added that, “I look to environmental organisations as essential partners in the conservation and protection of our country’s environmental heritage. We are doing this with facts, not with words. Today is an important step in this direction.”

The sites in question and the NGOs that will be responsible for them are:

· Friends of the Earth Malta: A 14,400 square meter plot of land in Comino, known as Fuq il-Bir tat-Tigieg, as well as the building known as l-Forn l-Antik;

· Din l-Art Helwa: An area of 670 square meters of land in the National Park in Ta Qali as well as the building known as the `Australian ‘which will be relocated from L-Ghammieri to Ta’ Qali;

· Fondazzjoni Rurali Manikata: the site known as Razzett tal-Qasam covering 4,022 square meters, as well as several other small buildings which form part of the same site.

The Minister explained that the proposal was evaluated by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) as well as the Land Authority, to safeguard the environmental aspect as well as to ensure the proper use of each site, particularly as some of these sites are very important for local biodiversity, as well as from a global perspective. In fact, some of the sites are scheduled and protected due to their ecological importance, which are also crucial to the wellbeing of the community.

He went on to say that is has therefore been ascertained that any environmental organisation that will be benefiting from these sites not only ensures that the buildings on the sites are restored and conserved properly and in a way that respects the surrounding environment, but also that the areas of land that will be passed on to the organisations, will be managed in a way that:

· Respects the ecological value of each site;

· Makes an effort to improve the biodiversity of the area;

· Promotes environmental education in the area, including on the native species of each site;

· Promotes the areas for the use and enjoyment of the public in a sustainable way.

The Minister explained that in order to ensure that these measures are carried out properly and in a timely manner in sync with the surrounding environment, an action plan will be drawn up for each agreement, in order to ultimately ensure the sustainable management of the Maltese environmental and cultural heritage.

“Each action plan will provide a vision incorporating the restoration, use, and final product expected at each site by 2035,” he said.

“This collaboration is crucial for the well-being of the local environment. NGOs are the environmental driver and a crucial element in carrying out Government’s environmental measures. The environment can only be managed sustainably if valuable work and collaborations continue to take place with different sectors of society to enable a collective effort to be made.”

“The effort to improve the quality of the local environment also depends on the public, as such sites and structures should be enjoyed in a sustainable way – for the benefit of all,” Minister Farrugia said.

File photo by Alain Salvary

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