The Gaia Foundation, which strives to protect Malta's environment and promote sustainable living, will kick off the new season with a double event this Saturday and Sunday, an open weekend being held at The Elysium Environment Visitor Centre at Ghajn Tuffieha.

The Foundation's tree nursery, which specialises in hardy indigenous plants that are most suitable to our climate, will be open for public viewing. Many of them are rare and form part of the list of plants recommended for rural and conservation areas.

Guided tours of the tree nursery and centre will be conducted each day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., followed by a guided ecological walk of the Ghajn Tuffieha area, part of the Coastal Cliffs Natura 2000 site, that forms part of the European natural heritage.

During the open weekend, Gaia will also be reopening its shop, which will be offering a wider selection of organic and fair trade goods. In order to meet the growing demand for organic products, the foundation has been sourcing goods available throughout the island to augment Malta's first organic shop, which also specialises in gluten-free products. There is also a larger selection of goods that now bear both the fair trade and organic labels.

There will be scrumptious tasters of local olive oil, sun dried tomatoes and dips with fresh Maltese bread.

The Foundation is also launching its own olive oil product, which is certified by the Malta Standards Authority as being in conversion to organic. True to its tradition to use Greek names and symbols for its projects, the new oil is named Athena, after the goddess of wisdom, who gave the olive tree to humankind as a symbol of both peace and prosperity.

Gaia is also launching its Christmas organic and fair trade hampers that will be available on order. Details can also be obtained from its website at www.projectgaia.org

The open weekend hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The centre is situated just next to Apple's Eye Restaurant. For further information or orders, contact the Foundation on 2158 4474 and elysium@projectgaia.org

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