Uprooting of trees

I refer to the letter by George G. Debono (October 27) in which a number of questions were raised about the issuing of a permit to uproot four Aleppo pines from Mdina Road, Attard.

Aleppo pines (Pinus halepensis) are protected under Schedule IB of LN 12/01, the Trees and Woodlands (Protection) Regulations. A permit is required for their uprooting. Such a permit was issued by Mepa, following clearance from the Department of Agriculture, as stipulated by the same regulations.

Regulation 8 (2) of the same Legal Notice states that the permit should be kept affixed on site for at least three weeks before the uprooting of the tree in question. This serves for information to the public of the uprooting of the tree, but does not include any other provisions related to objections from the public.

Mepa did not imply that the trees were causing traffic problems. The development permit for PA 03115/00 approved the creation of a roundabout for traffic management purposes in the area, and thereby approved the uprooting of the Aleppo Pines.

Mr Debono also refers to Regulation 8 (4) which states that the application to uproot trees which are sited in areas listed in Schedule IV (Protected Areas) of the same Legal Notice shall be published in the Government Gazette at least three weeks before the granting of the permit to uproot. Mdina Road, Attard, is not one of these protected areas, and therefore such obligation is not applicable to this case.

Mr Debono is therefore incorrect in stating that "Legal Notice 12 of 2001 was totally bypassed" and implying that the uprooting of the four trees was illegal.