Open Letter & Letter to the Editor by ENGOs for Sustainable Landscaping.

Letter to the Editor sent by Greenhouse, Nature Trust Malta and Friends of the Earth after recieving no reply on their concerns by the Environmental Landscape consortium .

Environmental Landscape Concerns

In an open letter sent to the Environmental Landscape Consortium, the NGOs : Greenhouse, Nature Trust Malta and Friends of the Earth expressed their concern about the Consortium’s unsustainable practices.

While the NGOs expressed the acknowledgement that the ELC had brought about a change in the rural environmental landscape of the Maltese Islands yet they voiced their concerns on the rationale behind the excessive pruning of various trees which provide roosting sites for birds and shady places for passers-by especially during the summer months. Trees at the Mriehel Bypass, Naxxar, Valletta and other places have been defoliated extensively risking the survival of such trees.

The landscaping with alien species has been a recurrent concern for many people. Species such as the Hottentot Fig have been used risking their escape into the surrounding countryside where they have the ability to become invasive to the detriment of native biota.

In this letter the organizations question what type of pest management is used by ELC and if any precautions are used if pesticides are applied and why do ELC insist on planting annuals instead of perennials so as to reduce the amount of organic waste produced. They also raised the issue of water use in areas where turf is being planted as this poses a high maintenance and high water quantity needs - when our Islands are struggling to ensure a sustainable water supply.

The organizations feel that with improvement on the landscape practices the ELC can bring about a positive change but if the above concerns are not addressed the NGOs feel that the urban environment will become greener at the expense of other environmentally-related elements.

Original Letter sent to ELC but left unanswered on the 19th of November 2010

Dear Sir/Madam,

Greenhouse, Nature Trust Malta and Friends of the Earth are local environmental organization concerned about Malta’s biodiversity and sustainability. It is for this reason that we are writing this letter to you.

The Environmental Landscape Consortium has done a very good job in turning some of Malta’s derelict places into green areas which are pleasing and aesthetically beautiful. The Consortium has filled in a very important gap in greening our urban areas but we would like to draw your attention to some practices which are unfortunately tarnishing the very good work being done.

First of all, the ELC has been criticized not for the first for its excessive pruning. Tree foliage is an important urban feature for a variety of reasons. Species of birds roost in such foliage and excessive pruning strips the birds of their roosting site. Excessive pruning has been practiced in locations such as the Mriehel Bypass, Naxxar, Valletta and other places. Large trees with dense foliage provide much-needed cooling by creating shady areas underneath them especially in the summer months. And although pruning is important for urban trees both for the trees’ and the cities’ benefits, such excessive landscaping is both scientifically and aesthetically unfit. Excessive pruning can also kill the tree eventually because in order for it to re-grow its foliage it needs to use energy stored in other places as it lacks its photosynthetic organs causing energy depletion.

Secondly, as has also been reported in the media some time ago, there is absolutely no need to use alien species to landscape. Imported species of grasses, flowering plants and trees have been used for this purpose. South African succulents in the form of the Hottentot Fig have also been used. The latter is of particular concern when considering its invasive ability to establish itself as an alien in our countryside. In the Guidelines on Trees, Shrubs and Plants for Planting and Landscaping in the Maltese Islands prepared by the Environmental Management Unit Planning Directorate (1992), it is explicitly stated that “the use of such species [exceedingly invasive species], is considered unacceptable irrespective of their proposed sitting; wherever any doubt exists about whether a species falls within this category, a precautionary approach shall be adopted.”

On a related note, we would like to express our doubts as to how sustainable turf-landscaping is. Its high maintenance and high water needs hardly do any justice for an island struggling to ensure a sustainable water supply. Furthermore it is common to have water sprinklers used for turf irrigation spewing water onto the streets in a clear wastage of water.

Thirdly, we would like to ask what is the pest management system used by the ELC. Are pesticides and herbicides used? And if yes, what precautions are taken to ensure passers-by and nearby houses are not exposed to the residues and wind-carried spray of these toxic chemicals?

Lastly we would like to enquire why perennials are removed after flowering. Some perennial species used in landscaping, such as geraniums, are transplanted just before flowering and removed right after. This surely adds to the organic waste generated in our country when other simple alternatives are available.

We thank you for your time and co-operation,

Best Regards,

Greenhouse, Friends of the Earth Malta & Nature Trust Malta

Media: Malta Independent, Times of Malta

Climate Action Day 2010 – We’re all in the same ‘boat

For this year’s Climate Action Day, Friends of the Earth Malta teamed up with Moviment Graffitti and Greenhouse in a bid to raise awareness on climate change. The event was planned to coincide with the annual United Nations Climate Talks which are taking place this year in Cancun, Mexico. Unfortunately the event had to be called off as the Valletta Local Council refused to grant a permit for the event.


Ironically, on the same day that the Valletta Local Council refused the permit, it was announced in the papers that 2010 is set to be among three warmest years on record, and will cap the warmest decade ever. This was revealed by the UN's World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) at the world climate talks in Cancun. While Nero Played The Fiddle, Rome Burns!

During a press conference held this morning in Valletta, the three NGOs argued that climate change should be tackled at all levels, starting from an individual level to the global.


On a local level, we need to look into changing our habits and adopt a more sustainable lifestyle. Such change in attitude will not only benefit the environment but also makes economic sense. Why are we willing to invest in expensive and polluting cars but are then not willing to invest in renewable energy sources and energy efficient appliances which make more financial sense? FoE Malta, Greenhouse and Moviment Graffitti questions such illogical behaviour. The age of irresponsible consumption is over; if we are not willing to do our part how should we expect politicians and businesses to lead.


On a national level, the government should have a clearer and more effective policy on carbon emissions. This requires shifting from heavy expenditure on projects that do not reduce our emissions level to more projects that do. Malta is still, considered a carbon dinosaur with its biggest sources of emissions coming from our oil-burning power stations and from land transport. Our country needs to look into having more efficient ways in the use of energy generated. This has to move decisively towards maximum utilisation of renewable energy sources and usage of efficient, low-emission land transport. There is urgent need to improve the efficiency of our main generating equipment. The Delimara extension – using diesel and not HFO – will provide a first improvement. The interconnector from Sicily, if supplied by a natural gas power station, will also improve matters: a net cut back of perhaps 0.5 million tonnes CO2 from 2.1 million.


Globally, the increased role for multilateral development banks as a channel for climate finance is not a blessing but more adept at causing climate pollution than in helping countries to mitigate or adapt to it. Using these channels would also mean climate finance in the form of loans or other debt-creating instruments. Using other instruments such as grants by developed countries as compensation for damages done will reduce the costs of dealing with climate change to the already heavy debt burdens experienced by many developing countries. Hence, we demand that all public money to fight climate change must go through the UNFCCC, not the World Bank, because the World Bank is the wrong institution to control financing for climate change. The decision to establish a global climate fund under authority of the UNFCCC should be adopted in Cancun.


The current global economic crises should be seen as an opportunity to move away from the current inefficient practices. This should lead us to the new, green economy more quickly so that many of the old problems of oil demand and energy consumption can be dealt with. Investing in new technologies, and moving much more decisively to renewable energies as well as energy efficiency can create more jobs, lower energy bills and indeed saves lives as well as livelihoods.


Media Features: Di-ve, Times of Malta, Times of Malta, Malta Today, Independent, Gozo News.