During a visit at Tas-Salib in Rabat, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg announced that in two and a half years Infrastructure Malta has already planted more than 50,000 trees around the country.
Minister Ian Borg commented on how the agency, in the first quarter of 2021, planted 10,000 trees – an amount which is already close to the total of 11,000 new trees that the agency planted in 2020 – in 93 different places in 36 localities around Malta. This means that last year Infrastructure Malta planted an average of 30 new trees a day.
“We are committed to deliver on our promise on the initiative announced during the summer of 2019 for a better environment. In fact, on the sides of this rural road, Infrastructure Malta, with an investment of around €50,000, which also includes the placement of soil in parts that were previously gravelled, is planting 220 cypress trees which are already grown, being about two to two and a half meters. This government’s vision is for a greener and sustainable infrastructure. It is also worth mentioning that, unfortunately, during 2020 there were again several cases where trees planted by Infrastructure Malta were the target of theft or vandalism. A total of 1,000 trees were stolen last year from 14 locations in 12 different localities. Therefore, we have seen that security cameras were installed in order to prevent these accidents,” said Minister Ian Borg.
As in any similar project, Infrastructure Malta has also contracted the necessary services to continue watering and caring for these trees for several years, until they are well established in their new environment. If any new trees die or are damaged, they will be replaced by the same protection and maintenance program.
With the number of trees expected to be planted by the end of this month, so far the agency will have added 30,000 trees to the sidewalks and in other urban and rural sites in Malta since the launch of the national tree planting program. In addition, around 20,000 shrubs have been planted around these trees, some of which can eventually be treated to grow into trees.
Photo: DOI, MTIP
