Samuel Muscat, on behalf of ADPD has submitted the party’s proposals to the Environment and Resources Authority for the public consultation exercise on the ‘Intent and Objectives: National Trees and Woodlands Strategy and Action Plan 2022-2030’.

Samuel Muscat said:”Malta and Gozo have by far the least woodland cover in the EU. The advantages of increasing woodland should be obvious. For example, woodland parks in urban areas are needed for climate resilience as they reduce the urban heat-island effect and help water retention amongst many other benefits. Given the importance of small woodlands and woodland parks in urban areas,  the aim of the National Trees and Woodlands Strategy and Action Plan should be to buy up the last remaining pockets of land in urban areas, and declaring them community parks. Tools such as planning control applications could be submitted by the government to limit the overdevelopment and use of pockets of land given over to unbridled and savage development in 2006. We doubt however the political will of government to take the bull by the horns and make right the wrongs against residents all over Malta perpetuated by PNPL over the years.”

“Urban valleys could also be acquired, afforested and turned over to the public for recreation. Schemes to push and reward farmers in peri-urban areas to plant trees on their land to increase greenery and air purification ecosystem services should also be seriously considered. It is of paramount importance that a professionally staffed and properly financed publicly supported network of tree and plant nurseries specialising on native genetic stock is established. The supply of indigenous locally grown trees and plants is a huge bottleneck in any afforestation and habitat restoration efforts.”

“We cannot but point out that existing plans are already in place and these need to be implemented. The Valleys Management Masterplan already recommends a lot of reforestation of valleys. The resources need to be put in place to implement this plan.”

ADPD Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo concluded by insisting that our quality of life is being attacked by unbridled so-called development and by the building of unnecessary roads, such as the one in Dingli, in Gozo, the Central Link, amongst many others. “If government was half as interested in urban greenery and afforestation as it is in increasing pollution in urban areas and favouring speculators in their building frenzy, then probably Malta and Gozo would be a much better place to live in.”

Our proposals:

• The top priority is to protect what we have. Proper monitoring of tree species which are very rare especially those with very small gene pool such as willow for threats such as diseases, is essential
• The strategy and action plan must be binding. ERA publishes many good documents but these are ignored or overruled. For projects to be successful clear binding targets are essential, such as a percentage of tree cover for the whole country by 2030, and a target for local indigenous plants and trees grown within 5 years
• Each afforestation project action plan should include a timeline and method statement on the removal of alien species, and proper management and monitoring of progress
• Tree protected areas should be expanded
• Allow and encourage citizens to participate. Partnerships with individuals to plant on private land. Support and resources for individuals and voluntary organisations
• Urban greenery is of paramount importance. The identification and acquisition of pockets of land in urban areas for urban woodland parks should be one of the main priorities
• Partnerships with private land owners and farmers could include the provision of expertise and compensation for planting trees, including on the verges of agricultural land

***

Pjan ta’ Azzjoni għas-Siġar u l-Imsaġar – mill-kliem hemm bżonn li ngħaddu għall-fatti

Samuel Muscat, f’isem ADPD issottometta l-proposti tal-partit lill-Awtorità għall-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi (ERA) għall-eżerċizzju ta’ konsultazzjoni pubblika dwar it-tfassil tal-Istrateġija Nazzjonali u l-Pjan ta’ Azzjoni dwar is-Siġar u l-Imsaġar 2022-2030.

Samuel Muscat qal: “Malta u Għawdex għandhom l-inqas għata ta’ msaġar fl-UE. Il-vantaġġi li jiżdiedu msaġar urbani għandhom ikunu ovvji. Per eżempju, imsaġar f’żoni urbani huma meħtieġa biex itaffu l-effetti tas-sħana, tal-bidla fil-klima, u jgħinu fiż-żamma tal-ilma, fost ħafna benefiċċji oħra. Minħabba l-importanza tal-imsaġar u msaġar żgħar f’żoni urbani, l-għan tal-Istrateġija Nazzjonali tas-Siġar u l-Imsaġar għandu jkun li jixtraw l-irqajja’ ta’ art li fadal f’żoni urbani, u li dawn jiġu dikjarati msaġar komunitarji. Il-gvern diġà għandu l-għodod meħtieġa bħall-PCAs (Planning Control Applications, applikazzjonijiet għall-kontroll tal-ippjanar). Permezz tagħhom il-gvern, jekk għandu r-rieda jistgħa jillimita l-iżvilupp żejjed, bla rażan u selvaġġ fuq dawn l-irqajja’ ta’ art minħabba l-eżerċizzju favur l-ispekulazzjoni tal-2006. Madankollu niddubitaw kemm il-gvern se jaqbad il-barri minn qrunu u jirranġa l-isfreġju li sar kontra l-interessi tar-residenti mill-PNPL tul is-snin. “

“Il-widien urbani jistgħu wkoll jiġu akkwistati, msaġġra u mogħtija lill-pubbliku għar-rikreazzjoni. Skemi biex iħajjru u jippremjaw lill-bdiewa f’żoni peri-urbani biex iħawlu siġar fuq l-art tagħhom għandhom jiġu kkunsidrati serjament. Huwa importantissimu li jiġi stabbilit netwerk ta’ mixtliet  tas-siġar u tal-pjanti li jispeċjalizzaw fi stokkijiet ġenetiċi indiġeni u li jkunu iffinanzjat b’mod professjonali u appoġġjati mill-istat. In-nuqqas ta’ siġar u pjanti ndiġeni mkabbra lokalment huwa ostaklu kbir fi kwalunkwe sforz ta’ afforestazzjoni u restawr tal-ħabitat. “

“Ma nistgħux ma niġbdux l-attenzjoni lejn il-Masterplan tal-Widien. Jeħtieġ li dan jiġi implimentat għax fih diġà hemm bosta rakkomandazzjonijiet dwar ir-riforestazzjoni tal-widien.”

Iċ-Chairperson ta’ ADPD Carmel Cacopardo temm billi insista li l-kwalità tal-ħajja tagħna qed tiġi attakkata mill-iżvilupp bla rażan u mill-bini ta’ toroq bla bżonn, bħal dik f’Ħad-Dingli, f’Għawdex, u s-Central Link, fost ħafna oħrajn. “Jekk il-gvern juri l-istess żelu biex isaġġar lil Malta daqs kemm juri fl-isforz tiegħu biex iżid it-tniġġis u daqs kemm jaħdem favur l-interessi tal-ispekulaturi, probabbilment Malta u Għawdex ikunu post ferm aħjar fejn wieħed jgħix.”

Il-proposti tagħna:

• L-ogħla prijorità hija li nipproteġu dak li għandna. Huwa essenzjali monitoraġġ xieraq ta’ speċi ta’ siġar li huma rari ħafna bħaż-żafżafa minħabba theddid bħall-mard
• L-istrateġija u l-pjan ta’ azzjoni għandhom jorbtu lill-awtoritajiet, biex fl-aħħar mill-aħħar ma jibqgħux biss fuq il-karta. L-ERA tippubblika bosta dokumenti tajbin iżda dawn jiġu injorati. Biex il-proġetti jirnexxu huma essenzjali miri ċari, bħal per eżempju mira ta’ perċentwal ta’ għata tas-siġar sal-2030, u mira għan-numru ta’ pjanti u siġar indiġeni lokali mkabbra fi żmien 5 snin
• Kull pjan ta’ azzjoni u proġett ta’ afforestazzjoni għandu jinkludi skedi dwar it-tul ta’ żmien tal-proġett, metodu dwar it-tneħħija ta’ speċi aljeni, u proċess ta’ ġestjoni xierqa u monitoraġġ tal-progress.
• Iż-żoni protetti tas-siġar għandhom jiġu estiżi
• Skemi li jinkoraġġixxu liċ-ċittadini jipparteċipaw fl-isforz ta’ tsaġġir. Sħubija ma’ individwi biex jitħawlu siġar fuq art privata. Appoġġ u riżorsi għal individwi u organizzazzjonijiet volontarji
• It-tħaddir urban huwa ta’ importanza kbira. L-identifikazzjoni u l-akkwist ta’ rqajja’ ta’ art f’żoni urbani għal parkijiet ta’ msaġar urbani għandhom ikunu waħda mill-prijoritajiet ewlenin
• Sħubija ma’ sidien ta’ artijiet privati u bdiewa jistgħu jinkludi pariri esperti, u anke kumpens għat-tħawwil ta’ siġar, inkluż fit-truf ta’ art agrikola