New regulations and guidelines have been proposed by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) to protect trees from construction works and other potentially harmful activities.

The documents, which are open for public consultation until March 1, come amid public concern over a spate of road projects requiring trees to be uprooted, including in Marsa and Selmun.

The authority has published two documents, one entitled ‘Guidelines on Works Involving Trees’ and the second a revision of the Trees and Woodlands Protection Regulations.

The latter proposes to add another 14 trees to the list of protected species, safeguard trees in urban public open spaces and increase controls on harmful activities and alien species.

Another 14 trees are to be added to the list of protected species

The revision also proposes licences for anyone carrying out interventions on protected trees and increased court penalties.

Meanwhile, the proposed guidelines include permit requirements and exemptions for certain interventions, how to register as a tree specialist and best practices for pruning, transplanting and other works.

The document highlights that transplanting should be carried out only as a last resort when all the other project options have been exhausted; it also says pruning of large branches should only take place for safety or a tree’s health, and never for aesthetic reasons.

Moreover, it provides guidelines on compensatory planting in cases where trees are uprooted and avoiding damage during construction works.

In recent days, concerns have been raised by members of the public over images showing the destruction of trees with heavy machinery due to roadworks at the Marsa junction.

The government has previously said 400 new trees will be planted elsewhere in compensation while some trees can be saved and be replanted.

This follows plans to uproot 25 old Aleppo pine trees on Selmun Hill, which are protected under the Trees and Woodlands Protection Regulations, to accommodate a road widening project.

The plans state that the trees will be transplanted to a “green central strip” along the same road, but some experts have warned that such trees do not typically survive relocation.

The ERA objected to the Transport Malta project due to the considerable take-up of afforested and undeveloped rural land.

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