A committee has been appointed by the Government to make recommendations on the preservation of trees in urban and rural areas.

The committee is made up of Alfred Baldacchino, Charles Grech, Steve Borg, Anna Spiteri and Pamela Hansen, who all work on a voluntary basis.

The committee will also be making recommendations against excessive pruning.

Environment Minister Leo Brincat said legal provisions on the protection of trees in urban zones had been removed. While he had no intention of hindering economic development, he was not prepared to allow illicit profit-making, with practices that went against the preservation of trees.

He said an urgent plan had to be drafted regarding the effective regulation of woodlands and practices by operators.

Mr Brincat added that some current practices regarding trees by people involved in landscaping and certain local councils were unacceptable. Many indigenous plants were being destroyed as a result.

Pruning, he said, would be controlled by legal notice.