The Gaia Foundation, which manages Ramla Bay in Gozo, has defended the use of a bullzozer to remove pebbles from the beach early last Friday.

In a statement, it said no intervention took place on the sand dunes. Stones extraneous to the site were removed while excess amount of pebbles were placed along the water course, to remain within the natural eco system.

"The works that were carried out did not effect the ecological integrity of the site, but restored the normal state of the beach that was disturbed by the denuding of sand beneath the Belancourt battery and the presence of the said stones extraneous to the natural elements of the beach," the foundation said.

In its statement, the foundation explained that over the years it has observed that sand is blown away from the area beneath the Belancourt Battery to the other side of the beach in a South Westerly direction by the prevailing North Westerlies. This sand is usually replaced by sand washed ashore with the current with the North Easterly winds. When these North Easterlies do not blow often, this part of the beach remains denuded of sand.

Owing to the collapse of the sea wall constructed by the Knights that ran across the bay for defensive purposes, many of these stones are washed ashore to create a layer of stones following the movement of sand in the said South Easterly direction.

Over the past winter, with frequent and strong North Westerlies and very few North Easterlies, the sand beneath the Belancourt Battery was totally blown across the beach, to the point where some remains of antiquity that were not even recorded became exposed.

If such stones were not moved and/or removed, the integrity of the site may have been compromised, and the services offered to the public would have suffered

Further away a large amount of stones from the said sea wall that degraded over 2011/12 were washed ashore forming a layer of stones over 1 metre high in an area previously covered by sand and pebbles.

Furthermore a large number of limestone blocks that had been used over the years to lay various sinkers for swimmers zone lines and boat lanes were also washed ashore.

Gaia said that while in some years the pebbles washed ashore were minimal and may have been left where they were or moved by hand, the large amount of stones that washed ashore this winter, with the record North Westerlies over the winter and Spring from the collapsed sea wall constructed by the Knights, bringing foreign material onto the beach, could only be removed by mechanical means.

"If such stones were not moved and/or removed, the integrity of the site may have been compromised, and the services offered to the public would have suffered, with the large number of foreign stones along this part of the shore that would have made it next to impossible for bathers."

With regard to the works carried out on Friday, the foundation said absolutely no intervention took place on the sand dunes. Stones extraneous to the site were removed while excess amount of pebbles were placed along the water course, to remain within the natural eco system.

The works did not effect the ecological integrity of the site, but restored the normal state of the beach that was disturbed by the denuding of sand beneath the Belancourt battery and the presence of the said stones extraneous to the natural elements of the beach, the foundation said.

Works related to the covering of the antiquities were made manually and the bulldozer remained at a safe distance away from the said antiquities.

ALAN DEIDUN REACTS

In a reaction to the Gaia Foundation statement, environmentalist Alan Deidun, who raised the concerns about the works yesterday, issued the picture above.

He said that while Gaia had said that the sand dunes were not touched in any way, the ecological importance of Ramla l-Hamra was not restricted to them.

"I seriously suggest that they consult the Natura 2000  factsheet for Ramla l-Hamra to see for themselves that the protection meted out to the Ramla site is not due solely to the presence of the sand dunes," he said.

See also http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20130611/local/bulldozer-at-ramla-l-hamra-at-4am.473447

MEPA REACTS

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority said it had consented to reinstatement works after it was satisfied with the detailed method statement that was submitted by the Gozo Ministry.

"As in previous years, works commenced in the very early hours of Friday morning so as to leave the bay open and not create any inconvenience for visiting tourists and the public."

The reinstatement works were carried out using a backhoe loader and a tractor shovel, under the supervision of an engineer and two Gaia Foundation representatives as was done in the past 13 years.

The authority confirmed it was impossible for the large accumulation of pebbles to be shifted by hand. These were spread along an area 30 by 10 feet, at an approximate depth of four feet.

The pebbles were carefully shifted by the tractor shovel and gathered into a pile. Additionally, the large number of pebbles which were accumulated on the sand dunes were all removed manually by beach cleaners under the supervision of Gaia representatives.

The Roman Villa remains were again covered again with sand and pebbles were then cushioned manually to ensure they remained protected.

The works carried out did not affect the ecological integrity of the site but restored the normal state of the beach that was disturbed by the denuding of sand beneath the Belancourt Battery and the presence of the said stones, extraneous to the natural elements of the beach, Mepa said.