The anti-spring hunting campaign yesterday contradicted hunters’ claims of restricted access to the Foresta 2000 nature reserve in Mellieħa, and called attention to acts of vandalism committed by hunters at the site.

Showing journalists around the nature reserve, SHout spokesman Mark Sultana said FKNK claims that access to the reserve was restricted year-round were “blatant lies.”

While hunters circulated pictures of a locked gate, he said, the reserve actually had eight access points allowing the public full access seven days a week, all year round.

Foresta 2000, which includes some 21,000 trees, is situated below Marfa Ridge close to the Red Tower and is administered by BirdLife, Din L-Art Ħelwa and the parks directorate. Mr Sultana said the hunters’ claims were particularly hypocritical in view of the fact that three hunters had been found guilty of destroying 300 Foresta 2000 trees in 2010, out of anger at decisions taken regarding hunting.

“The site has also been subjected to other acts of vandalism by hunters over the years: trees have been cut down and burned, the park warden has been shot at and his farm subjected to arson attacks. Hunters have also been found hunting illegally in the reserve,” he said.

Campaign ambassadors Frank Zammit and Edward Caruana Dingli added that hunters occupied about 80 per cent of the countryside, and reserves like Foresta were among the few places where families could enjoy the countryside without intimidation.

They said a ban on spring hunting would return the countryside to the people.

Responding to the campaign’s statements, the St Hubert Hunters’ association (KSU) said that other than bird reserves or sanctuaries no public property where hunting was practised was fenced off.

Apart from private or leased land, the countryside already belonged to the people, it added.

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