6,000 trees to be planted at vandalised afforestation site

The Lm40,000 needed to plant 6,000 trees on the Foresta 2000 site in Mellieha were raised inside five weeks, the Environment Ministry said.

The trees will replace the 3,000 trees vandalised on the night of May 8.

In addition to the funds, 1,000 pine saplings were donated by Italian Environment Minister Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, who is on a short visit to Malta.

Environment Minister George Pullicino said he was pleased that the Maltese had reacted in this way, giving a reply to those who had carried out the vandal acts.

"The success of the campaign and the donation by the Italian government now enables us to plant three trees for every one that was vandalised," Mr Pullicino said.

The tress will be planted in October in an activity spread over two days where companies that donated money, their employees and individual donors would be invited to take part in the planting sessions.

Foresta 2000 is an afforestation project carried out in conjunction with Din l-Art Helwa and Birdlife.