On the morning of 9 May last year, Malta woke up to the news that the largest afforestation project in the Maltese islands – Foresta 2000 – had been the victim of an act of wide-scale vandalism, with 3,000 trees ruthlessly destroyed.

Shortly under a year later, the Foresta 2000 project is back on its feet, with the destroyed trees having been replanted, and many of the damaged shrubs recovering from the attacks and thriving once again. A total of 16,000 trees and shrubs have now been planted in the area.

Foresta 2000, an initiative put forward by BirdLife Malta, along with Din l-Art Helwa and PARC, was set up with the aim of cultivating an area of mostly indigenous vegetation where individuals could explore and enjoy nature. Located on the west slope of the Marfa ridge (overlooking Ghadira bay), over an area spanning 104ha – more than three times the size of Buskett – the site saw these organisations planting a large variety of species of trees and shrubs, including Sandarac, Aleppo Pine, Holm Oak and Mediterranean Buckthorn, and set out to create a natural haven that will remain untouched by industrial development. A significant portion of the vegetation planted was donated by various international organisations, with around 8,000 trees and shrubs alone being donated by the Italian Corpo Forestale dello Stato.

However, the site has been the victim of numerous attacks of vandalism, the most significant being that during the night of 8 May, 2007, when over 3,000 trees and shrubs were destroyed, and the damage amounted to Lm40,000. Three years earlier, in September 2004, a smaller incident had occurred where 100 trees were uprooted or snapped. Although no individuals have been prosecuted, many harness the belief that hunters were behind the attacks. Adding credence to this theory is the incident that took place in October 2007, when BirdLife ranger Ray Vella sustained facial injuries when he was shot in the face by a hunter, who went on to hurl abuse at BirdLife and other anti-hunting organisations. Last February, BirdLife members suffered another blow when three cars belonging to volunteers were torched in Buskett while they were carrying out scientific studies in the area.

Mr Vella, who clearly regards Foresta 2000 as a labour of love rather than merely an environmental project, told this newspaper that despite the various attacks on the area and the individuals responsible for it, the organisations involved are determined to continue their work and make the venture a success. He noted that one of the greatest achievements of Foresta 2000, and other projects – such as the 34U campaign, lies in fostering the public’s appreciation for environmental areas.

Mr Vella cited the success of the tree planting weekend held in October 2007 as an example, where people “were practically climbing over each other to plant trees and place their name tags on trees”. He encouraged individuals to visit the area and make use of the open space during their recreational time, while respecting the environmental fragility of the site.