Protecting the natural heritage in the Maltese islands (12)

Coastal cliffs form a significant component of our natural heritage. This landmass is an important geomorphological feature that harbours significant number of endemic species and others of biogeographical interest. Because of their relative inaccessibility, cliffs are important refuges for rare and often threatened species. Most of the coastal cliffs are also important bird nesting sites.

Cliffs are not only important from an ecological or scientific point of view. The high, rugged cliffs are one of Malta's scenic highlights, imparting not only spectacular scenic values but also a feeling of openness.

Coastal cliffs span the entire western side of mainland Malta from Birżebbuġa to Mellieħa, displaying a great variety of form and profile. The cliffed headlands and secluded bays of the north grade into the continuously high cliffs of Dingli with their secondary upper cliff rim, which in turn grades into the more broken cliffs, steep limestone escarpments and rocky inlets of the Ix-Xaqqa - Il-Ħnejja area in the south. In some places such as l-Imtaħleb, the upper cliff rim curves inland to enclose dramatic coastal valleys.

On the north-eastern coast fewer cliffs exist but are as impressive as the ones along the western coast, such as the Rdum tal-Madonna. The cliffs along the southern coast of Malta, namely from Tal-Munxar area in Marsascala to Delimara, are important on a national scale since they are the only cliff formations composed entirely of globigerina limestone.

Mepa scheduled the cliffs of mainland Malta as a Level 2 Area of Ecological Importance and Area of High Landscape Value as per Government Notice No. 400/96 in the Government Gazette dated June 25, 1996.

A definition of certain terminology used above can be found on: http://www.mepa.org.mt/file.aspx?f=3438 .