Mepa explains policy on uprooting of trees

G. Gerada

Oct 11th 2012, 18:47

With all the trees uprooted in the recent months, there was never, ever a press-release informing the public what has been done with them. Environment-centred planning MY FOOT!

Jo Gatt

Oct 11th 2012, 08:31

Disgusting!

Shaun Anthony Camilleri

Oct 11th 2012, 06:56

What a lame excuse. The real reason is that MEPA as an organisation is incompetent. The organisation falls directly under the PM so what is his excuse?

Madeleine Hladnik

Oct 11th 2012, 00:48

MEPA should lose the E in its name because the authority is certainly not interested in our environment. I have seen hundreds of trees destroyed around Malta because of development that in many cases should never have been permitted. It would be interesting to know from MEPA where the new trees have been replanted for each project. They are always replaced with concrete.

Albert Attard

Oct 10th 2012, 23:44

Why there are no trees planted in the new referbished airport road now that it has been widened?!!. There is plenty of soil and space on the side and they would be of no danger!!....as yet there are only some bianca bushes that do not do much to add greenery.

Lino Busuttil

Oct 10th 2012, 22:58

Anyone from Paola? Can they form a common front against the Poala uprooting. We need to show them that we care about Malta and they should keep their dirty hands away from those trees.

Lino Busuttil

Oct 10th 2012, 22:47

What a useless piece of "explanation" to shut us up . How can uprooting of trees that took scores of years to grow in Paola get a green light.
MEPA should be ashamed of the latest permits and the mess in the environment sector. Go ahead: identify the unit processing these applications and the persons involved. I hope they will be blacklisted from any future responsibilities regarding planning

Maria Sammut

Oct 10th 2012, 21:26

`I'm sure all this destruction is a nightmare, I'm sure I will wake up and find out that it's not really happening. We're living in 2012, we're part of the EU, we're civilized, we have respect for the environment . It can't really be true. The government and MEPA can't be so arrogant to destroy ALL our trees. The trees belong to us not to them. Please wake me up from this nightmare.

Ray Pisani

Oct 10th 2012, 21:18

Shamfeul arrogance and disregarding what the people want and deserve.
All we have here is beating about the bush, for the replanted trees will take another 25 years to grow!
Shame on the traverse of Mdina Ditch, shame for the attempt to remove the Senglea and Poala trees after having removed the ones at Bormla.

Shame!

Lawrence Camilleri

Oct 10th 2012, 20:16

If MEPA really wants to encourage the protection of trees why give permit to the Local Council for a three storey one hundred years old carob tree at the entrance in Xaghra to be cut down just because a flag, one of many raised in the area for the festa was being damaged by the top thin branches?

J Micallef

Oct 10th 2012, 20:13

MEPA, this is a lame explanation. What is it with this bright new projects that trees seem to get so much in the way? So some bright spark at TM decided to go for glass bus shelters some years ago, and apart form the undue delays waiting for Arriva buses, now you also get roasted in the sun. Next, we are uprooting priceless trees which took decades to grow. Why can't we enjoy some shade?

C Borg

Oct 10th 2012, 20:04

which policies applied for the Mellieha (square)?? Apart from friends of friends......?

pat muscat

Oct 10th 2012, 20:03

Two of the hundred year old uprooted trees from Mellieha Sanctuary project are already dead!

B. Storace

Oct 10th 2012, 19:37

We need trees, we need shade, we need roosts for the birds, we need fresh air, we want to live side by side with the trees. We do not want concrete. We do not want a desert. We want to hear the rustle of the leaves. We want to know that when it rains the roots are protecting the soil from being washed away. We want to be like other countries and be proud of the trees we have. We want parks.

Mary Tanti

Oct 10th 2012, 19:35

Some ideas for the MEPA officers - Not only should you leave the trees alone you should make greening of the island a requisite in every development and on every roof - nook and cranny!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningpicturegalleries/9582246/In-pictures-the-winners-of-the-High-Line-for-London-competition.html

Johann Agius

Oct 10th 2012, 19:28

Over several decades various government have planted trees like ficus, eucalyptus which are not indigenous to our island as mentioned by previous readers.
I totally agree with MEPA that these trees must go and re-plant indigenous trees that go with the characteristics of our island.
The ficus and eucalyptus do huge damage to the pavements and roads, take a look at the road near Fino and see.

john muscat

Oct 10th 2012, 19:20

Somebody "killed" the trees opposite the BOV in Naxxar, and nobody took any action, perhaps to have an open view in front of some houses or flats.

Adrian Grech

Oct 10th 2012, 19:08

haluwahom bil kwiet lil dawn is sigar dejjem bxi skuzza.

Kieron O'connor

Oct 10th 2012, 19:06

In all these projects which have been approved, how many projects included transplantation?
Total number of projects where trees were effected, and of that total how many recommended transplantation?
How many trees were transplanted in total?
MEPA will have the details of this as they would have recommended any transplantation's in comparison to cutting down and planting of new trees.

Mark Mercieca

Oct 10th 2012, 18:49

What do the powers that be have against our trees and why are we turning the country into uniform, soulless,tasteless
mediocrity with the characterless squares and public areas - everything more or less the same design and concept. What a shame!!!

Charles W. Sammut

Oct 10th 2012, 18:44

Most of these trees like ficus and eucalyptus are not indigenous and actually harm the environment. They should be replaced with indigenous trees like Carob, Aleppo pine and Olive trees.

saviour frendo

Oct 10th 2012, 18:32

I don't care what excuses MEPA come up with. LEAVE THE TREES ALONE. OUR HEALTH DEPENDS ON THEM. MEPA guys you have much more important work to look after.

Marisa Bugeja

Oct 10th 2012, 17:45

Enough is enough!! Stop this massacre of trees! You have no right to remove mature trees; they are our heritage and contribute to our health. Shame!

Pamela Hansen

Oct 10th 2012, 17:43

The MEPA statement is hogwash.
It is evident to all that beautiful mature trees are being either chopped or removed willy-nilly all over the island.
Saplings can never replace mature trees that are so beneficial to all communities, especially in urban areas and roads congested by heavy traffic.

Gillian Snook

Oct 10th 2012, 17:39

I have one question for MEPA ...............................

How long would it take for the new trees to reach a size anywhere near the ones which have been removed, or to put it another way - would it be in our lifetime?

Chris Finch

Oct 10th 2012, 17:32

If New York is a concrete jungle, Malta is a concrete desert.

Chris Finch

Oct 10th 2012, 17:32

How many replacement trees have been planted in Mellieha to compensate for the loss of the mature ones chopped down for the desert square.

Victor Laiviera

Oct 10th 2012, 17:30

Just nice-sounding words which do not correspond to the truth.

Jeremy Azzopardi

Oct 10th 2012, 17:27

Give us real examples instead of empty words. And show us your enforcement efforts, as well as replanting success rates.

Also, MEPA states, "If the retention of such trees was not possible due to project constraints". Does that mean that trees are at the mercy of the architect, paid for by the developer?

The gimmick in the name MEPA is made clear. No 'E' and not much 'P' either.

Astrid Vella

Oct 10th 2012, 17:25

Could MEPA please give a clear and unequivocal answer as to whether the Marsa project and uprootings were covered by a permit, as no evidence of such a permit has been found on the MEPA website. If not, who is behind this project and what is MEPA going to do about it?

Ethelbert Schembri

Oct 10th 2012, 17:23

We live on a rock with a couple of plants and the authority responsable for the environment make whatever is in their power to get rid of the any trees that help us all !!
This is beyond absurd !!

paul camilleri

Oct 10th 2012, 17:22

Dear Mepa how about comming and cut down some ficus trees that are in our playing field they have grown to such an extent that their roots have crossed the road and penetrated water wells on the other side, not to mention the big dried brown leaves that has flooded both the play ground as well as the road.

oh this is in Zebbug area known as il badli tal grazija

Joseph E Briffa

Oct 10th 2012, 17:22

It doesn't need a rocket scientist to tell us that trees need years and years to mature. So does it make sense to destroy a seventy year old tree or older and plant two shrubs in its stead? We don't need new roads, we have more than enough; what we need is to improve the existing ones, mostly in the way of better surface, camber and drainage.

jacqueline chircop

Oct 10th 2012, 17:18

dear all,


please help us ......we need to save these trees

C Agius

Oct 10th 2012, 17:11

How about *shock horror* designing projects whilst safeguarding trees in order that development and conservation can work hand-in-hand? Dunno, its just a suggestion....

A.Felex Busuttil

Oct 10th 2012, 17:10

Even of Villa Rosa?

Mr Andrew Camilleri

Oct 10th 2012, 17:09

Can MEPA please be a bit more specific and not play around with a lot of empty words. Are there permits for the removal of the mature trees in Marsa and in Paola? And in other areas? MEPA needs to come clean and stop defending the contractors. If they mean business, they should fine heavily those contractors who down trees without a permit - no sanctioning please!

Lino Busuttil

Oct 10th 2012, 17:08

The public has to be consulted or at least have access to the process and plans being discussed. The trees belong to the people not MEPA. They are our heritage same as our bastions.
Who or which section is responsible for bowing to the Ministry requests, we need to know. If you have some pride in what you do not hide behind MEPA. Identify yourself.
One day all involved will be held accountable

Franco Farrugia

Oct 10th 2012, 17:08

This may well be. However, it is not what the general public is seeing - the perception is totally different. So, more needs to be done in order for the general public, especially us, so-called 'tree-huggers', to put our minds at rest that mature trees are being respected.
It is not 'legislation' that should protect trees, but commonsense.

Francis Grech

Oct 10th 2012, 17:04

What planting new trees for those being uprooted just to build some more flats that no body can afford to buy or rent don't MEPA realise that it will take years for a tree to mature.

Francis Grech

Oct 10th 2012, 17:03

What planting new trees for those being uprooted just to build some more flats that no body can arrord to buy or rent don't MEPA realise that it will take years for a tree to mature.

Joe A. Borg

Oct 10th 2012, 17:02

As usual MEPA will justify its actions.

This will continue to happen as long as the Planning and Environment Protection remain under the same roof.

Paul Camilleri

Oct 10th 2012, 16:57

The trees we see in the picture are not being uprooted for transplantation elsewhere but have been completely chopped off.