Foodwise, the Maltese islands constantly skate on thin ice. Local fields produce less than a fifth of what the population consumes, with the lion’s share of our food being imported. Agricultural production in this country hinges on an average soil depth of half a metre, courtesy of unbridled grazing in bygone days.
To compound matters ever further, in the post-war period, there has been a relentless sealing of soil under concrete, to the tune of 84 hectares per year (equivalent to almost one square kilometre) up till 2002, according to Malta Environment and Planning Authority statistics.
Against this sobering scenario, the mind boggles as to why further loss of agricultural land is being proposed in such a cavalier manner. For instance, a gargantuan plot of agricultural land at Kalafrana (limits of Ħal Far and Birżebbuġa, overlooking the Freeport), spanning 54 hectares (equivalent to eight full-size football pitches), has been earmarked by Harbour Investments Ltd for the development of 32 warehouses, some of which rising up to 12 metres (over three storeys) high. If approved, it would be almost equivalent to total amount of farmland Malta loses to development over the course of an entire year.
The initial media report on the proposal raised my eyebrows as it mentioned that no trees would be lost as a result of the development, but that rubble walls would have to be demolished and new access roads opened. The recent attention we have started dedicating to trees is commendable but the loss or otherwise of trees should not be the sole yardstick by which we gauge a project’s acceptability. The sheer scale of eight football pitches of warehouses and their anticipated impact on what is currently a rural area should be enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone in his right mind.
The same media report quotes the developer as claiming that he already owns 36 hectares of warehousing space at Riga Freeport in Latvia, in an attempt perhaps to justify the application for the Kalafrana area. Comparisons are odious, especially when the two contexts (Malta and Latvia) are completely different.
This latest proposal for Marsaxlokk Harbour area is yet another notch to the increasing tally of irresponsible development proposals being bandied around for the south of the island, as recently highlighted in a landmark ‘Forum for the South’ organised by Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, which gathered a number of experts on sustainability to discuss and formulate a vision for this part of the island so often blighted by unbridled development in the past.
One of the experts was Anna Spiteri, who is participating in the Mare Nostrum project (http://marenostrumproject.eu) funded by the ENPIC CBC-MED framework and which aims to promote better management of coastal resources in the participating countries (Israel, Spain, Greece and Malta).
She has steered the formulation of the Grand Harbour charter (www.grandharbourcharter.net), which advocates the safeguarding of public spaces in this heavily populated and polluted part of our islands, and which has been signed by six local councils and NGOs.
Ħal Far industrial estate is literally a stone’s throw away from the proposed site. A simple drive through the estate reveals vacant plots of land in the industrial area. So rather than extending further the development footprint, wouldn’t it be more judicious to site the warehouse proposal in the committed Ħal Far industrial estate and thus avoid flushing down more farmland down the drain?
Wouldn’t it be more judicious to site the warehouse proposal in the committed Ħal Far industrial estate and thus avoid flushing down more farmland down the drain?
The best arguments against spring hunting
As part of the Save the Countryside campaign, Din l-Art Ħelwa conducted a public survey to assess the public attitude towards a number of environmental issues, including hunting and trapping. Some interesting statistics emerged from this comprehensive study that fuel solid arguments against hunting.
For instance, 50 per cent of respondents say they walk in or drive through the countryside at least once a week during spring; the figure falls to 44 per cent in autumn and 39 per cent in winter.
Law enforcement, which is perpetually elusive for local authorities, also featured high in the list of respondents. For instance, an overwhelming 65 per cent of respondents claimed that more rigorous enforcement should be in place for hunting and trapping, with a mere 21 per cent claiming that enforcement was adequate.
Interestingly, 55 per cent say spring hunting limits families’ access to the countryside. The perception of the Maltese as a comatose lot more enamoured to their sofas rather than to a stroll in the countryside is further shattered through additional statistics emerging from the survey. For instance, 60 per cent of the population believe that, even if spring hunting is allowed, spring weekends should be declared ‘hunting-free’, with the figure rising up to 66 per cent for people aged 35 to 44 and to 65 per cent for people aged 45 to 54 (the two age brackets featuring parents).
A similar trend was observed concerning autumn hunting, with a majority of respondents clamouring for weekends and public holidays to be off hunters’ radar. This public outcry against hunting flies in the face of the present administration’s decision to reverse the previous respite for Maltese families during weekends and public holidays.
For the interviews, 500 telephone numbers were selected using a random digit dialling system. Respondents were stratified by age and gender. Interviews were carried out last February. The data analysis was conducted by Misco International, with the assistance of Mcast environmental sustainability students.
Din l-Art Ħelwa’s Save the Countryside campaign aims to show the relevance of the Maltese countryside and biodiversity to our daily lives. The campaign aims to build awareness of the importance of conserving the countryside and avoiding its loss, especially due to overdevelopment. The campaign is part-funded by the European Economic Area (EEA) Grants NGO Malta Programme. The Facebook page of this laudable campaign has attracted a phenomenal degree of public support, with over 12,000 likes at the time of writing.
alan.deidun@gmail.com
www.alandeidun.eu