The International Tree Foundation has recently amalgamated with Nature Trust – FEE Malta following discussions between the two organisations and the respective committee approvals.

The International Tree Foundation has been working ion Malta since 1967 while Nature Trust was founded in 1962 and this year celebrates its 60th anniversary.

Through the amalgamation the expertise of the ITF will now be taken on board to help the Education for Sustainable Development International programme LEAF – Learning About Forests.

NTM explained that this is one of the FEE programmes that is found in over 25 countries educating society as it instills in students and communities a sense of ownership in their natural surroundings, rekindling in them the wonderment which woodlands and other habitats evoke and reminding them of the importance the environment plays in our lives.

The programme is hands-on learning, about all aspects of the natural environment, encouraging all to understand and engage more with their surroundings.

NTM said that one of the several successful planting projects of the ITF is the Minden Grove at the Ta Qali National Park. Which now will be incorporated in the LEAF programme so as the students can themselves take an active role in woodland and natural management and therefore instill in them a sense of ownership through direct activism

Vincent Attard Executive President of Nature Trust, said that “this amalgamation will continue to strengthen the environmental awareness object as it will bring along the expertise of the International Tree foundation that has been instrumental over the past years to get people to appreciate the role of trees in our environment.”

Dr Joseph Borg, outgoing president of ITF, stated that the Minden Grove is the result of long standing cooperation between ITF, an environmental NGO from the city of Minden [Germany], F.E.E, THE Minden City Council and the Malta Department of Agriculture

The Minden NGO, with the support of German citizens, especially from Minden, over the years, donated to the Malta Department of Agriculture, and lately to the Parks department, several vans, water tanks, forestry machinery, organic fertilisers and cash for the purchase of varieties of saplings of our region.

A full list of the donors to the Minden Grove project both, German and locals is displayed in one of the Gazebos erected in the Grove.

Dr Borg appealed to the public visiting this established Grove, to avoid any activity which is detrimental to the trees.

Photos: Petting farm entrance and full grown olive trees

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