BirdLife Malta’s nature reserves reopen to the public this weekend after the summer break.
The reserves, which are primarily meant to provide shelter and rest to migratory birds, are kept closed in the summer months to enable the managing wardens to carry out maintenance work and habitat improvement works on the sites.
At Simar Nature Reserve, the reception centre and the bird ringing station were upgraded, both of which play an important role when welcoming visitors including the many school children which visit the reserve throughout the year.
Parts of the nature trail were also redesigned to ensure an improved experience for visitors, while ensuring a better breeding and feeding habitat for various birds and insects is created.
Similar works were also carried out at Għadira Nature Reserve where a new photographic hide was constructed, with the aim of creating additional opportunities for the ever-increasing amount of nature photographers in the Maltese islands.
Other works included screening of the nature trail to minimise disturbance and also round-the-clock care of the tree nursery which will supply us with a healthy stock of trees and shrubs for planting in the winter months.
Għadira Nature Reserve opens every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm while Simar Nature Reserve opens on Sundays between 10am and 4pm. Foresta 2000 is open all year round and is accessible 24 hours a day. Salina Nature Reserve is open for visits on all days with visitors able to walk through part of the park freely between Monday and Sunday (April to September 7am to 8pm, October to March 7am to 6pm).
The reserves are also open during the week to cater for visiting school children. Despite being in the early stages of the season, most dates for the upcoming months are already fully-booked.
Entrance to all the reserves is free of charge and there is no need to book to visit. However, donations help support the upkeep of these important natural sites.
The board at Simar shows and explains the bird ringing process. Photo: Eleni Karatzia/BirdLife
