Pembroke council has been praised by Nature Trust Malta for its recent clean up of the Pembroke garigue area. It encouraged other councils to follow in Pembroke council's footsteps.

The clean up was a joint initiative with the Lands Department, the Armed Forces of Malta and the Police.

"This initiative has two praiseworthy consequences: caring for ecologically and scientifically sensitive garigue area; and giving back to the people the public land inappropriately used by hunters and trappers," the trust said.

The Pembroke Action Plan of January 1996 had given the garigue a Level 1 grading as a site of scientific importance while the Pembroke Policy Map of the North Harbour Local Plan of April 2000 called for protection and upgrading of open spaces.

During the event, lasting four days, all rubbish as well as hunting hides and trapping sites were removed.

The myriad of hunting hides and trapping sites in the area had deterred many families from enjoying it for many years, the trust said.

Additionally pledges of supervision of the area were made by the Armed Forces, the police and local wardens.