Long-term survival of the most valuable species in Europe rests on a network of existing nature reserves and open land which is often privately owned, where threatened flora and fauna happen to have their habitats.
In Malta, a number of different habitats have been identified as Natura 2000 (N2K) areas in need of management. Public consultation is currently under way for 22 of these sites at the Malta Environment and Planning Authority. Another eight sites are covered by conservation order.
In some cases these specialised habitats, home to rare plants and animals, are restricted to small pockets of land. They may be the only place in the entire world where a unique species is be found. The aim of the Natura 2000 network is to reverse the decline of these threatened species.
Our shrinking treasure, the biodiversity of the Maltese islands, clings for the most part to the coastline, with much of the designated area along barely accessible stretches of the western cliffs.
The largest chunk of our N2K network spans from the northwest tip of Gozo to Xlendi and continues from Ċirkewwa to Bengħisa in Malta.
Another wide band on the east coast runs from Mistra Bay through Selmun Bay and Imġiebaħ to the southern point of Mellieħa Bay.
This special area of conservation (SAC) contains boulder and clay slopes, forest remnants, and permanent springs. It makes an attractive habitat for the Mediterranean frog, Malta’s only amphibian.
Off-roading has been identified as a problematic issue in this area. The environment authority’s Natural Heritage Advisory Committee (now set to be abolished under a new law) observed that a council proposal to plant native oak trees to reduce erosion of the clay slopes could be improved upon by planting tamarisk, a more suitable species for the purpose.
The advisory committee of the time pointed out that the parking of cars on the clay surface is contributing to erosion and should be discontinued.
Managing the site could mean restricting car access to the beach and preventing the clay slope from becoming a mess of tyre tracks. A 1.5-metre-wide trekking path would replace the road with degraded verges restored back to the habitat type.
Installing a wattle fence of sticks to stabilise the clay slope for planting of naturally occuring Esparto grass was also recommended.
Another coastal strip for which there is a proposed management plan runs from White Tower Bay and Aħrax tal-Mellieħa, toward Mellieħa Bay Hotel. Contained in it are three unique sand dune habitats in urgent need of better protection through site management.
A 2009 by-law, issued by the Mellieħa local council, permits and regulates camping. However, litter left by campers may be attracting rats which pose a threat to the shearwater population which rears its young on the nearby sea cliffs.
Nature Trust has recently spoken out on the problem of dumping in vulnerable Natura 2000 sites such as at Pembroke garrigue and saline marshes in the south, calling for frequent patrols and steeper fines to counter the problem.
The management plans rest strongly on long-held environmental policies put together by Mepa, which is now passing through a political meltdown
Isolated pockets of habitat containing species in special need of protection are also found inland. A cave, saline marsh, woodland, ancient grove and valley provide us with diverse habitats in need of special attention at Għar tal-Burdan, Salini, Buskett, Wardija and Wied il-Miżieb respectively.
The latter valley represents typical Maltese habitats – garrigue, maquis, valley sides and watercourses – all co-habiting with agricultural land. The valley was given protected status in 2010 and is home to the Sandarac gum tree, which has already benefitted from an EU-funded project.
Away from the coast we find the holm oak forest remnant at Wardija on private land. Efforts have been made to reach consensus among stakeholders on achieving the right balance between the owners’ requirements and opening up the site for educational purposes. It was suggested that small educational groups could visit the site with the landowners’ consent.
Other sites already under some form of management (at times patchy) are, Simar wetland, White Tower Bay dunes, Għar Dalam cave, Għadira wetland plain and the coastal habitat at Għajn Tuffieħa. These are currently in the hands of either the Parks Department, NGOs, local councils, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority or a local committee. The management plans look at how to improve on what is already there in terms of managing each site.
In Gozo, a Natura 2000 site at the citadel, which is home to two species of bat and the very rare Maltese toadflax, is under ministerial management.
Ramla Bay, which is known for its dune system and associated plants, is presently under care of the Gaia Foundation. Parts of the site are threatened by fires from illegal barbecues. This has led to the loss of wild populations of another the rare Bushy Restharrow, a delicate yellow flowering plant, revered in the time of the Knights of St John.
Abandonment of former agricultural land backing the dunes has led to the spreading of grapevines and other invasive alien species, posing a challenge to the Ramla Bay ecosystem.
Rich in endemic and threatened species, Dwejra falls under a volatile management committee.
At the naturally beautiful site of Ta’ Ċenċ activities include tourism, diving, rambling, bird-watching and hunting. Yet the area is so far managed solely by a hotel owner, with the various users of the site insisting that the management plan should not compromise their access and use of the area.
The plans also cover Comino and the Xlendi area, plus a pebble beach at Daħlet Qorrot with significant garrigue habitat and species on the overlying ridge at Il-Qortin.
The management plans rest strongly on long-held environmental policies put together by Mepa, which is now passing through a political meltdown. The crucial issue of funding is also addressed by the plans. The plans can be viewed online and comments from the public are to be sent in by the end of the month.
http://natura2000malta.org.mt