GAIA given clearance to remove excess stones from Ramla Bay

The Gaia Foundation was today given Malta Environment and Planning Authority clearance to remove excess stones from Ramla Bay in Gozo.

The Gaia Foundation, which has managed the beach in line with management plans since 2000, said in a statement it noted over the years that owing to weather conditions in winter and early spring, shifting of the sands often led to exposure of many stones and pebbles situated beneath the sand.

The rough seas also brought more ashore.

“While this has always been a natural process, an excessive build-up of stones would constitute an inconvenience to the public in the swimming season.

“This was addressed last year when the stones were gathered up in piles to clear large areas for bathers.”

GAIA said that an on-site meeting was held between Gaia and Mepa officials to determine the best way forward to meet the public’s needs while respecting the ecological integrity of the site.

“Mepa has today given its clearance to remove the excess stones.

The dunes, GAIA said, were highly protected and gave the site its unique feature of international importance, with many rare plants which did not grow anywhere else on the Maltese Islands.

GAIA said that while the beach is to be largely cleared of excess stones for the swimming season for the convenience and enjoyment of bathers, the public was reminded that the sand dunes situated just inland from the beach were of great ecological importance, and should be respected as part of the Maltese islands’ unique national and natural heritage.

In 2009, the Gaia Foundation provided park rangers for an average of 130 hours per week to guide the public and upgrade the services to the beach.

As a result of this and of public cooperation, the pre dune formation above the beach was well maintained and preserved.

The foundation said it looked forward to the coming season when bathers could enjoy Ramla Bay in comfort, while nature’s unique habitats were maintained and preserved.

The Xaghra council last week complained over the stones and accused Mepa of dragging its feet to issue a permit for the stones to be cleared.

Mepa yesterday said it did not receive any applications from the Xaghra council or anyone else for the removal of large quantities of stones from the bay.

It also questioned why it was being dragged into this issue, when the site was managed by GAIA.

The Xaghra council said this morning it had never been officially informed by any authority that the GAIA Foundation was responsible for the management of the bay.

It said that, for the whole of last summer, this was full of stones and seaweed.