Mepa schedules two coastal wetlands

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has scheduled the coastal wetlands in Il-Maghluq in the limits of Marsaxlokk and the area known as Is-Simar in St Paul's Bay.

The scheduling is in line with Mepa's efforts to safeguard the biodiversity of ecological and scientific importance.

Coastal wetland habitats such as Il-Maghluq and Is-Simar support specific flora and fauna that can withstand harsh surroundings. These habitats are rare throughout the Maltese archipelago and so the species that live there require special protection, Mepa said.

Il-Maghluq is a coastal saline wetland located off Xatt is-Sajjieda, limits of Marsaxlokk, formerly referred to as Il-Ballut. The saline wetland represents one of the best Mediterranean salt meadows.

The scheduling boundary of Il-Maghluq follows that of the Bird Sanctuary, as established in 1993.

Scheduling of the Simar area comprises parts of Il-Pwales, Is-Simar, Ta' l-Imbordin, Ta' Gannaru, Ix-Xaghra tal-Ghansar and Ta' Rkuplu; however, there is a special emphasis on safeguarding the marshland habitat within the Bird Sanctuary.

Besides protecting the ecology of the natural habitats, the scheduling of the Simar area also aims to preserve the beauty of the landscape by including the stretch of garigue and semi-natural woodland on Xemxija ridge together with the agricultural land at the Pwales valley.

There will also be buffer zones, within which farming and related activities may continue provided they are in line with the established Structure Plan and other rural policies.

Mepa added that the scheduling of Il-Maghluq and is-Simar is intended to complement and support the designation of these areas as candidate Natura 2000 sites.