The introduction of the invasive alien species, the Red Palm Weevil, is indeed saddening. A number of palm trees have already fallen victim to this insect pest. Besides being legally protected by the Trees and Woodlands (Protection) Regulations, 2001 (Legal Notice 12 of 2001), some of these trees have historic significance. It is sad and frustrating that more and more dead palm trees in both public places and private gardens will become a common sight.
A closer look at ‘landscaping projects’ both on public and private land, reveals a large number of imported trees. These are potential carriers of introduced diseases and species. The case of the Red Palm Weevil is a case in point. Such introductions are expensive not only from an ecological but also from an economical point of view. Why is Government reluctant to ensure that such trees are propagated in local nurseries. Regrettably, such laudable efforts to make Malta greener are, in a number of ways, contributing to more damage to local biodiversity. This is being handled more from a commercial rather than from a conservation and ecological point of view.
A further impact on our biodiversity is being inflicted by public employees, regularly seen clearing street verges of their greenery, destroying patches of wild flowers which adorn urban and rural areas instead of just tidying these areas. Due to the pressures on the natural environment, wild species sometimes also find refuge in urban areas and the spraying of herbicides not only reduces the stock of wild species along roadsides but can also reach our valleys where additional flora and fauna are affected. This is being paid for by Local Councils and Government Ministries which, instead of safeguarding and protecting our natural heritage as they are obliged to do, waste our funds on these measures and on imported plants instead of more resistant local ones. Besides their ecological contribution, wild species of flora can also be used to give colour and be used in landscaping our urban environment, if the commercial aspect of consortia importing alien plants is not to eliminate completely the ecological aspect.
The introduction of this alien species, the Red Palm Weevil, shows the lack of a proper professional approach and absence of any basic strategy with regards to the protection, care, use and management of our natural heritage – trees. This is also evident by the authorities’ readiness to allow developers to fell protected ancient trees such as the
Aleppo pines planted by the Knights on the Rabat Road. No amount of ‘compensatory planting’ of saplings, especially imported specimens, will make up for such a loss.
Further ‘institutionalised vandalism’ is being carried out by the heavy pruning of beautiful established trees along our streets, leading one to ask whether such heavy pruning is primarily being carried out to supply tree logs for sale, as advertised outside Wied Incita nurseries.
FAA would like to appeal to Government to address such matters with more responsibility. The way that such management of trees and afforestation measures are being conducted are only having a short term contribution, with alarming damage to the local natural environment in the long run. We call on the Minister responsible for the Environment to urgently halt such a disaster.