These days, barely a week goes by without news of a grand old tree - or trees - being uprooted or chopped down. 

And as the tree trunks pile up, assuming responsibility for the ecological butchering would appear to be something of a hot potato. 

Alfred E. Baldacchino has dedicated his career to battling on behalf of Malta's biodiversity and ecology.  He played a key role in drafting 2001 tree protection laws which were then hacked down in 2011, served as assistant director at the (now defunct) Mepa Environmental Protection Directorate and has published books about local flora and fauna.

In this Times Talk interview, Mr Baldacchino dismisses the official reasoning often given to justify trees being removed, highlights what he calls a lack of professionalism in Malta's landscaping management and points his finger squarely at Malta's environmental regulator, the Environment and Resources Authority.

Watch the full interview with Mr Baldacchino on Wednesday morning on Times of Malta.