Dingli residents, activists, farmers unite to save centuries-old trees
Dingli residents and activists have filed paperwork seeking to save ancient trees which Infrastructure Malta intends to cut down to make way for a new road.
Around 100 people have endorsed a bid to obtain an urgent Tree Protection Order for the trees, which activists say are hundreds of years old.
In a statement on Friday, activist group Moviment Graffitti said that a nature permit to chop down these trees was issued some months ago to make way for “a highly controversial and dubious road” right through outside development zone arable land.
The new road is meant to link Daħla tas-Sienja with Sqaq il-MUSEUM. Minister Ian Borg has defended the project.
However, direct action by residents, farmers and activists helped put a temporary stop to the works. The activists had disrupted the felling of trees after workers turned out to clear the way. They also appealed a decision allowing for the trees to be uprooted.
Now, 100 people have signed their support for a Tree Protection Order, which would designate the zone as a Tree Preservation Area, since the trees and the area where they are found meet a number of the criteria necessary for protection.
Among the criteria listed by...