Greenhouse's Reaction to the Stork Hunters Sentence

Below is the official reaction of Greenhouse towards the sentence filed today for the two men convicted with hunting down two protected birds. The sentence given was a €14,000 fine and 3 years jail time between the two hunters- or should we say "ex-hunters" since they were also served a life-time hunting ban.

- Greenhouse commends the harsh sentence given to the hunters who shot the protected white storks. Such fines will be a strong deterrent to prevent further cases of illegal hunting. We urge the hunting community to be harsher on these poachers and take more action to prevent such illegal hunting from happening. Poachers such as these are shedding a negative light on the legally-binding hunters. We hope that harsh sentences such as these will be maintained so that Malta will see the end of illegal hunting once and for all. We also hope that the positive outcome of this court-case will not be watered down in the appeal.

- It is a relief to see that the courts are making serious use of the power entrusted to them as the weight of their judgement will certainly act as a deterrent to those who persist in illegal hunting activity. This judgment has clearly shown that the judicial system is taking bird hunting illegalities seriously.

- These hunters have been found guilty on several accounts of national hunting laws. Our organisation hopes that this judgment will not be considered a 'quick-fix' solution and hopes that after these individuals are made accountable for their actions, the law abiding hunting community takes self-enforcement more seriously and pro-actively among its members. Only this can lead to long-term solutions.

- Although Greenhouse is pleased with this positive outcome, we cannot help but wonder what distinguishes one dead animal from another in the legal-system? What makes a living-thing more 'preciosus' or of more 'value' which result in harsher penalties? The discrepancies in penalties between animal cruelty and illegal hunting are shameful.

For the Times of Malta Article on the sentencing see:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110707/local/Stork-hunters-jailed-and-fined.374209

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110709/local/Stork-sentence-gives-strong-message.374642

A positive change towards active citizenship

This is an Article by Joseph Caruana (Greenhouse Executive) that was original published on The Malta Independent Environment Supplement on the 17th of April regarding the clean-ups organised by Greenhouse and S-Cubed.

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Very often we go about our daily lives pretty happy with our routines and surroundings – an inevitable reality which frequently leaves us unaware of what is not always clearly visible. The initiative set up by the Science Students’ Society (S-Cubed) and Greenhouse to organise several clean-ups around the island throughout this year was precisely intended to combat this general mentality. The main aim of the campaign was to spread awareness about our environment and its importance, both from an ecological as well as an anthropological perspective. It is for this reason that the two University student organisations decided to collaborate and organise these activities. Given that the target audience was mainly (but not restricted to) University students, the activities all featured an explanation on the environmental significance of the sites visited.

The first clean-up, for example, which was organised in an area known as Il-Ballut in the limits of Marsaxlokk (which is incidentally a Natura 2000 site) included a generic, yet very insightful introduction provided by Dr. Sandro Lanfranco, a lecturer in Plant Biology on Campus. Teamwork then characterised the rest of the activity where a whole skip was filled to the brim with all kinds of waste which previously littered the area. The second event focused on L-Ahrax in Mellieha close to l-Irdum tal-Madonna.

The Conservation and Ecological Value of the Site

L-Irdum tal-Madonna, located at the extremity of l-Ahrax tal-Mellieha is also a Natura 2000 site, protected as a Special Protection Area (SPA) under the EC’s Birds Directive, as well as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive. It is also considered an Important Bird Area (IBA) and was the main site of the EU LIFE+ Yelkouan Shearwater Project, an initiative headed by BirdLife Malta in association with two other NGOs and four government authorities, aimed at reversing the decline in the Yelkouan Shearwater population of Rdum tal-Madonna and to improve the Natura 2000 site. Malta hosts an estimated 10% of the global population of Yelkouan Shearwater, with over 500 pairs breeding in the cliffs at Rdum tal-Madonna. Rats present in the area feed on the eggs and chicks of this bird and, consequently, are a threat to the population.

Understanding the problem and volunteering a solution

S-cubed and Greenhouse joint clean-up directly addresses this problem by removing waste which attracts rats to the area. This was achieved by a group of 21 volunteers who collected around 30 large garbage bags of litter. This waste largely consisted of recreational waste as the L-ahrax Tal-Mellieha is a very popular site for Maltese people to visit in the weekend and public holidays. This explains the problem of rat populations in this area as these feed on picnic leftovers and subsequently on birds nests. It is always a matter of concern for us to see that people do not respect these public spaces and unknowingly cause considerable damage to the ecology of these sites. The waste collected ranged also to construction waste which is easily disposed of in these public spaces.

To counter these practises we must start to act on them and start reporting illegal dumping in the countryside. A lot of effort has already been put in this and the authorities are slowly mobilising their resources to assist in the cleaning up of these areas. But, what ultimately matters is that through education our culture of indifference changes and that whenever someone acts irresponsibly action is taken to report the incident. If we want the environment to be protected and safeguarded its important to make sure that we are strong in enforcing its protection.

S-cubed - http://www.scubed.info/

Greenhouse Malta - http://www.greenhousemalta.com/

Stop the Bloody Slaughters (Environment Fair Part 2)

By Anthony Debono & Joseph Caruana, respectively

The Fish Slaughter: End of the Line Screening & Intro to the fish4tomorrow Campaign!

As part of the Environment Fair we organised a screening of the great documentary, The End of the Line , a film by Rupert Murray and based on the book by Charles Clover. Before the screening, Anthony gave the audience a brief introduction to the fish4tomorrow campaign (a sustainable fishing campaign launched by Greenhouse and friends which has recently been mentioned and supported by Dr Alan Deidun and Karen Mugliett in the local press!). You can find much more info on the campaign both on this blog and at the fish4tomorrow's facebook page.

The Bird Slaughter: Bird Migration Talk

On Friday, for the ending of the Environment Fair, we hosted a short seminar on Bird Migration in Malta, together with Birdife Malta. The scope of this short seminar was to reach out to local interested volunteers who might wish to join BLM and local birdwatchers for the Spring Watch to monitor the number of different bird species which migrate over Malta and report any illegal activity.

As Birdlife's volunteer Justine Hall explained in her presentation these camps are critical to ensure that the Birds Directive is properly enforced in Malta. But, these camps don't only prove a special case of the public taking action over lack the lack of enforcement by the authorities, these are also Unique Opportunities for everyone who wishes to learn more on different migratory birds which fly over our islands. During the last Raptor Camp together with BLM and GH volunteers I was able through the Camp experience to watch over 80 Marsh Harriers fly over Malta on their way back to the African continent. This experience is for free and the specialised people who make this camp possible is another astonishing aspect to this experience which I encourage everyone to get involved in!

The Call is Out!

Whoever wishes to attend the Spring Camp can easily do so by contacting Birdlife Malta. On the other hand you may join Greenhouse members and friends who will also be going to assist BLM during the Spring Watch. For more information send us an email on green.uom@gmail.com

Clean-up at L-Aħrax (Environment Fair Part 1)

Joseph Caruana (Greenhouse)

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Environment Fair started off pretty early for Greenhouse: our members and friends, together with S-Cubed, started the week with an 'against all odds' clean-up at L-Aħrax tal-Mellieħa. This activity sought to assist Birdlife Malta address the challenges that the rodent population poses on the Yelkouan Shearwater, a bird species which Malta is estimated to host 10% of its breeding population!! So what's up with the clean-up idea?

The team posing with the rubbish collected

It was the second of a series of such activities that we are organising in conjunction with the Science Student Society. Through these clean-ups we seek to (A) Promote sites of Ecological Importance [Previous site: Tal-Ballut] and (B) acting hands-on for a just cause.

Plenty of people attended the clean-up, despite the very bad weather and luckily for all of us the weather in Mellieha remained calm until we disbanded later in the day. Furthermore, we were given a presentation by Birdlife volunteer Nicholas Barbara on the Life+ project which they conducted on the site to protect the area and the bird species which make use of this area.

The activity progressed with the clean-up activity which accumulated mainly packaging waste.... some construction waste... and also metal junk. For both myself and my friends it's always impressive when taking part in these activities to see with one's own eyes how irresponsible we may tend to act just because we are either lazy or completely ignorant of what harm we are causing to these sites.

Nick Barbara (Birdlife) telling us about the Life+ project carried out at L-Aħrax

The activity finalised we all rallied to a bar in Mellieha frequented by the locals to share some drinks and get to know each other a bit better than the clean up could have permitted. A pint of beer anyone?

Animals: The Abandoned & Abused

Animal Rights is an issue which is close to our green hearts, here at Greenhouse. Francesca Saliba, an Agriculture student at UoM and Greenhouse Executive Member, sheds some light on the truth about animal cruelty, exploitation and neglect in a four-part article.

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Despite the small size of our country, various situations brutally shock animal lovers of all ages. In every response I witness, the majority of conflicts bring about, that actions speak louder than words.

The majority of people go about their lives without realising just how much animals suffer on a daily basis. For instance, cab horses that are used daily for tourists, go through a great deal of stress working whether it’s raining or very hot. They are used for human benefit, transporting them from place to place, with no drinking stops or sheltered areas where the horse is protected from natural elements.

In November 2009 TAWS (World association for transport animal welfare studies) proposed facilities to take care of these poor horses. Structures th

at would give shelter to the horse while waiting for customers. These aim of these structures are to keep the horse in the right conditions even in Malta`s hot weather. Other issues like hygiene and water were also mentioned however it all fell on deaf ears. Now in 2011, Arrangements are being made to try and compromise a sort of solution to help these innocent creatures on duty, especially since the proposed sum of a shelter costs €20,000. Petitions and comment papers are making others more aware because every person can help save those that have no voice in our daily lives. They depend on us to never give up on this struggle.[1]

Furthermore, I think that more investigations should be carried out, especially with regards to dog fighting events which are a shocking reality frequently heard in the Maltese island despite the fact that they are illegal. A new law on animal welfare specifically lays down that "animal fights shall not be organised and nor shall animals be entered for animal fights".

Anyone who violates this law "shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine of not less than Lm100 but not exceeding Lm20,000 or to a term of imprisonment for a period not exceeding one year, or to both such fine and imprisonment". Vets also witness these agendas but are bound to be secretive or afraid do speak out. In some cases, the owners even invent excuses as to not get caught. Last reported case was found to be in 2002 in Siggiewi from an anonnomous caller but no one was arrested as they left in a hurry and even left things behind. Some people simply do not understand the extreme amount of pain, suffering and torture dogs go through, whether the dog is the winner or the loser. [2]

Francesca & Joseph with volunteers from Birdlife during organisations' week 2011.

[1] Times of Malta

[2] Times of Malta

L-Aħrax Tal-Mellieħa, Cleanup & Tour of Yelkouan Shearwater (garnija) Conservation Site...

...on Sunday 20th March at L-Aħrax Tal-Mellieħa (Cross on the Map)

Event Desciption:
"After the success of S-cubed & Greenhouse’s last Clean up at tal-Ballut, we are organising another clean-up, this time at Ahrax in Mellieha together with Birdlife Malta. We feel that most effective way of raising awareness is by hands on experience. During clean-ups students see for themselves the state at which certain areas are and are given the opportunity to make a small difference. Moreover it helps people come to terms with the negative impact mankind has on the environment.

The site for this clean-up is a Natura 2000 site which is being managed by Birdlife Malta who are carrying out a conservation project on the Yelkouan Shearwater that breeds on the cliffs. We will be collaborating with Birdlife Malta as the clean-up will be part of a rat eradication project that shall be aimed to reduce predation on the Shearwater chicks and eggs.

Following the clean-up, we will also be given a tour of the Yelkouan Shearwater conservation site by members of Birdlife."

Hope to see you there! (See poster below for more details)

Talons on Illegal hunting: Greenhouse joins Birdlife at Raptor Camp

On Saturday the 18^th of September, I joined Greenhouse on an afternoon’s experience at Birdlife’s Raptor Camp. Raptor camp takes place twice a year during the migratory seasons where birds fly from Europe to Africa for the winter and back to Europe in spring. Its aim is to keep track of raptors and other migratory birds flying over Malta and discouraging and reporting and illegal hunting and trapping.

Most of the volunteers are foreigners who fly to Malta each year to help out...and it’s no easy business. Volunteers are split into groups of four, each is assigned a location in Malta in which there is a dense population of hunters and where they spend hours keeping watch, starting as early as 5am.

Before we left for the afternoon watch, Geoffrey Saliba, the project’s campaigns manager , took us to one of their rooms where they had a dead Grey Heron which they had collected that morning.

“This is what we’re fighting.”

I was sent to a spot at Tal-Virtu where we spent from 3pm to 8pm. I was amazed at the sheer number of raptors that actually pass over Malta to take shelter before completing their journey to Africa. We spotted around 90 Honey buzzards, a few Marsh Harriers and heard a good deal of Bee-Eaters. Large numbers of Marsh Harriers were seen in other sites on the Island.

There are 32 birds that can be legally hunted. During this time of year, hunting is only legal till 3pm. This is because after this time, raptors start flying low in an attempt to find a suitable place to roost, making them extremely vulnerable. Despite the laws, illegal hunting persists and the number of cases is alarming. Just recently the discovery of 80 Raptors buried under stones in Mizieb shows that little has changed from a year ago where 200 birds were found in the same conditions.

The main problem is the attitude that a handful of hunters take towards entities such as Birdlife, CABS and the ALE. Last Saturday I got shouted at by a hunter for standing too close to the concrete leading to his land. In the worst cases volunteers have been shouted at, some spat at and a few have even been beaten up. There is no doubt that the tension is high between hunters and conservationists, but unless there’s a radical change in mentality or proper enforcement of the law the chances of bringing illegal hunting to a stand-still seem to be slim.

However, the lack of local volunteers is upsetting. Birdlife Malta strives to understand and protect wild birds while conserving their habitat with great dedication and enthusiasm. I’d like to take this opportunity to encourage as many people to actively help in these local conservation projects. More information regarding illegal hunting and daily Raptor Camp updates can be found on www.birdlifemalta.org.

This is a video taken by Anthony Debono, one of the members who attended the Raptor Camp.

Life experience extends beyond Campus

Raptor Camp 2009 will soon be in full swing and needs the general public to be more aware of the activities that shall be organised. For those of you who do not yet know what Raptor is, it is an observation camp organised by Birdlife Malta in order to stop illegal hunting, poaching and trapping of wildlife on our islands.

As most of us are aware, in 2004 Malta joined a directive which made spring hunting and the hunting of certain species of birds illegal due to their threat of extinction or high degree of vulnerability. The problem is that the police force does not have the resources to ensure that this directive is adhered to and illegal activities are taking place nonetheless as poachers know of this weakness and abuse of it. Raptor 2008 proved that there is desperate need for active enforcement of this directive.

Public awareness is imperative to the success of Raptor Camp and for this reason Birdlife has contacted Green House in order to channel their work placement opportunity in Video production during this year’s Raptor Camp. This work placement is ideal for students who wish to pursue professional video production, such as communications students for example. Therefore, we would like to invite anyone interested to contact us on green.uom@gmail.com in order to obtain more information and apply for this work placement. Additionally, this placement will be organised from the 12th of September through to the beginning of October, therefore it does not clash with any university lectures or studies. Start off the next academic year with a leap and join the Raptor Camp, as life experience extends beyond Campus.

Greenhouse Team.

Talk by Birdlife

Talk by Birdlife (18 Feb.)

A talk by Birdlife will be held on Wednesday 18 February at 1400hrs in the Melita Room, Student's House on campus. The presentations deal with on the Life Projects - Life Yelkouan Shearwater and Life+ Project on Bird Migration and Trapping.

This event is organised by Greenhouse.