A group of 90 pupils from several schools, accompanied by their teachers, recently took part in a tree-planting event at Xrobb l-Għaġin Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre, limits of Marsaxlokk.

The initiative was part of a worldwide campaign organised by Environment Online – ENO, a global virtual school network for sustainable development. At the Rio+20 Summit in 2012, ENO made a commitment to plant 100 million trees by 2017.

The students planted a specific type of indigenous dwarf palm tree (Siġra tal-Ġummar), some of which were sponsored by Bank of Valletta.

Minister for Sustainable Development Minister Leo Brincat, who was present for the event, said the lively participation of the students made it more effective as they are more likely to pass on the message.

During the event, the students also took part in a number of interactive sessions in which they learned about the problems pests can cause to the environment, how to grow dwarf palms, the different types of trees found at the nature park and what people used to do with palm leaves.

One of the sessions was led by the renowned founder of Nature Trust Malta, Guido Lanfranco.

The event was organised by Nature Trust Malta through its Learning About Forests (Leaf) programme in collaboration with PARKs and the Plant Health directorates of the Ministry for Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change.