Government investing almost €60,000 in two BirdLife Maltamanaged Natura 2000 reserves
The government will be investing around €58,000 in works being carried out by BirdLife Malta on two Natura 2000 sites, one being the Għadira Nature Reserve and the other the Simar Reserve on the limits of St Paul’s Bay.
The investment was announced by Environment, Climate Change and Planning Minister Aaron Farrugia on Monday morning at the Għadira Nature Reserve, during a press conference which was attended by representatives from BirdLife Malta, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and Ambjent Malta.
The two sites are sanctuaries for birds, and have high ecological importance. Both are classified as Special Areas of Conservation of International Importance and Special Protection Areas. Farrugia said that the investment will aid in the additional work being done to further encourage the growth and survival of protected species.
“The aim of the works being carried out at these sites is to protect the value that the environment around us offers. The purpose is also to maintain the sites so that they can be enjoyed sustainably by everyone, whilst striking a balance between the use of Natura 2000 sites and their natural conservation,” noted Farrugia.
He said that he wants to emphasise the importance of protecting the environment and protected species, but also ensure that human activity in such sites does not have a negative impact on the quality of the biodiversity.
The new works will include the establishment of a research laboratory in Simar, the use of new products and machinery for planting trees, the installation of security cameras on site and the construction of new sanitary facilities at the Għadira Reserve.
“In Malta, more than 14% of the land is allocated to the 34 terrestrial Natura 2000 sites, which account for about 44 square km, and the Natura 2000 maritime sites cover 35.5% of the Maltese waters,” said Farrugia.
We will continue protecting our natural heritage - Farrugia
“The public is invited to visit and enjoy these beautiful sites, but we all must do so without causing any damage to the environment.”
He said that the work BirdLife Malta and other NGOs do must be promoted.
Farrugia highlighted that this year’s Budget will leave a positive impact on the environment. “We are looking at the economy post COVID-19, and we are also focussing on our environment.”
BirdLife Malta’s CEO Mark Sultana highlighted the importance of such agreements and appealed to the Minister to continue working side by side so that Malta can focus on respecting it’s natural heritage. “BirdLife Malta will continue working hard to protect the environment and to ensure that it is safely enjoyed by everyone. We will continue criticising anyone who does not do this, even if it is the government, and we will continue working hard to ensure the protection of our natural heritage.”
Sultana said that the four reserves which BirdLife Malta runs are all open to the public, and any funding received is dedicated to these reserves to ensure that the general public enjoys them. He said that in the reserves, no member of BirdLife Malta or any individual can kill any animal or bird, or remove any flowers or flora.
He also mentioned that after the agreement which the government signed with FKNK, providing hunters large pieces of land in Miżieb and L-Aħrax, he was not sure whether this event would take place.
“Yet we changed our minds as we believe that this would be a good occasion to recap all the work we and other NGOs do… Such organisations can never be placed in the same boat with hunting and trapping associations, whose main interest remains to kill birds.”