Protecting the natural heritage in the Maltese islands (7)
Għajn Rihana valley system
Wied ta' Għajn Rihana is a broad flat-floored valley located to the north of the Victoria Lines fault and spans three local councils: Mġarr, Mosta and St Paul's Bay. The valley system constitutes one continuous wied with two main tributaries - Wied ta' Sejkla and Wied ta' l-Arkata. Wied ta' l-Imselliet and Wied tal-Ħżejjen form the upper parts of the wied, joined by Wied ta' Sejkla at il-Ħżejjen. The valley then continues as Wied ta' Għajn Mula that is joined by Wied ta' l-Arkata at Ġnien Nixxuf. The downstream part of this valley, joining Wied il-Għasel at Għajn Rihana, is located on the opposite side of Burmarrad Road and is locally referred to as Wied ta' Għajn Rihana.
Valley-sides and watercourses within valley systems present different environmental conditions that are exploited by distinct vegetation communities. Vegetation communities associated with valleys can thus be divided into those that characterise the valley-sides or valley-slopes and those that are associated with the watercourse. During the winter months the watercourse of Wied ta' Għajn Rihana holds a substantial amount of freshwater, supporting biotic communities that are typical of local watercourses.
The valley banks support limited stretches of deciduous trees that are generally associated with watercourses (riparian woodlands) and are quite rare within the Maltese islands.
Mepa scheduled Għajn Rihana valley system as an Area of Ecological Importance and Site of Scientific Importance as per Government Notice No. 226/06 in the Government Gazette dated March 10, 2006.
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Adrian Borg Cardona
Nov 24th 2009, 10:47
Yes, lovely view. So when can we exepct a villa or block of flats to be built right there. After all, this is happening in Bahrija. There, The MEPA website cited the valley as a Special Area of Conservation for its ecological and scientific importance under the Habitats Directive. It clarified that the “Bahrija valley system supports typical watercourse vegetation and several rare and endangered species as well as endemic ones with a restricted distribution in the Maltese Islands.” The Wied Rini and Wied il-Bahrija watercourse is classified as “one of the most important freshwater habitats in the Maltese Islands.”
All 16 policies contemplated in the Structure Plan with respect to Rural Conservation Areas, to Areas of Scenic Value, to Areas of Agricultural Value, to Ecology and to Valleys are claimed to have been violated in the granting of the Bahrija permit. And the building goes on. SHAME on all those involved and those that look the other way.