No hatchet-people at Environmental Landscapes Consortium

I refer to John Carmel Navarro’s letter Indiscriminate Chopping Of Trees (November 24).

While thanking Mr Navarro for his public appreciation of Environmental Landscapes Consortium’s work in various spheres, we would wish to correct the wrong impression he and others might have vis-à-vis tree pruning and tree removing practices by ELC.

Contrary to what is colourfully alleged and described by Mr Navarro, ELC does not “indiscriminately chop trees” nor does it “let people loose with chainsaws”.

May I assure him that we also feel very strongly about the need for correct pruning and hate the unfortunate circumstance-justified removal of trees, when the case, and we forcefully rebut allegations to the contrary.

I would like to reassure both Mr Navarro and interested readers that ELC never undertakes severe or so-called “excessive” pruning unless (a) it is specifically directed and authorised to do so by the Malta Embellishment and Landscaping Project, its supervisory monitoring board and then (b) only after in-depth deliberations about each and every individual instance. Like ELC, the monitoring board is not composed of hatchet-people but of serious professionals who, knowing their business well, never act capriciously.

In his contribution, Mr Navarro mentions in particular the chopping down of trees at Paola roundabout (Roundabout De­nuded, October 5), which he describes as nothing short of disgusting (sic).

He moreover opines that the result would “worsen the look of the area as a kind of futuristic – after the bomb place” (sic). Should Mr Navarro wish to do so, he is more than welcome to contact me at ELC (2142 0993) to provide me with his mailing details, thereby enabling me to copy him with The Sarè Paola Roundabout Tree Removal Report and the new designs for the area, prepared by our professional staff and approved by our monitoring body. We are sure that when he views and examines them he will change his opinion.

For the record, on October 13, we tried to have the report and new design published in The Times to counter the negative impression a photograph of the area (published in the October 12 issue) might have given to the uninformed. Unfortunately, this did not come about because the material was editorially not considered newsworthy enough to justify an article. We, however, take this opportunity to thank the editor for now lending us space to publish this letter.

Editor’s note:

The caption accompanying the photo that appeared on October 12 did state (in fact quoting Dr Cuschieri) that the trees had been removed to make way for landscaping and reconstruction in the centre of the roundabout and that the trees were not a protected species.