New guardianship deeds will see environmental NGOs manage three sites across Malta

New guardianship deeds have been signed with three environmental NGOs for the conservation and protection of three natural areas – two in Malta and one in Comino.

Friends of the Earth Malta will be responsible for Fuq il-Bir tat-Tiġieġ, a 14,400 sqm plot of land in Comino, as well as the building known as l-Forn l-Antik.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia said that collaboration with NGOs allows government to further enhance ongoing investment in such areas, including Natura2000 sites.

“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,” he said.

Farrugia explained that the proposal was evaluated by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) and the Lands Authority to ensure the proper use of each site, as some of the areas are scheduled and protected due to their ecological importance.

To help this, the NGOs are obliged to managed the site in a way that respects the ecological value of the area, promotes environmental education, helps improve the biodiversity of the area will encouraging its public use in a sustainable way.

An action plan will be drawn up for each agreement to illustrate the restoration, use, and final product expected at each site by 2035.

“This collaboration is crucial for the well-being of the local environment,” Farrugia continued. “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.”

This article first appeared in MaltaToday on 26th September 2021