Protection of Gozo Citadel against shrubs

I refer to the letter by Frankie Vella of Xewkija (Citadel Under Attack From Weeds, June 20).

The Ministry for Gozo has over the past years entered into agreement with the Gozo Branch of the Malta Red Cross Society to clean the bastion walls of the Citadel from weeds and shrubs which cause damage and present an unsightly view of the site.

Attention has been given to remove particularly those shrubs which cause damage. Weed killers approved by conservationists are applied to such plants. In the process, attention has been given to other plants which are endemic or rare and which do not cause any damage but grow for a short time span and then dry up. In this case, to ensure their continued propagation, these plants are not treated with the approved biocide but are simply removed at a specific period during their growth cycle.

Of course, the clean-up is carried out periodically and, therefore, there are brief periods of time when such rare and endemic plants are allowed to grow and then removed when they dry up.

I assure the reader that every attention is being given by the Ministry for Gozo for the protection and preservation of the Gozo Citadel. The ministry is also very much satisfied with the professional manner in which the Gozo Branch of the Malta Red Cross Society carries out the clean-up.