A total of 5,000 trees will be planted across the locality of San Gwann, Environment Minister Jose Herrera said on Thursday.

Speaking at a site on Triq Bellavista in San Gwann, where 100 trees and shrubs will be planted, Herrera said that the government had big ambitions for preserving San Gwann, making special reference to Wied Ghomor.

He described the valley as a key green lung in what is an urban zone, and noted that he had listed it to become a public domain. He said that it is indispensable for the area and that every effort must be made to ensure its protection.

Speaking in a more general sense, Herrera said that he was proud to see most local councils taking a big interest in the environment, and looked forward to more collaboration with the local councils, NGOs, and private businesses.

On the latter, he said that a number of large companies are setting up foundations as part of their corporate social responsibility initiatives, and said that within the next days, a guardianship scheme will be set up where territories will be entrusted to these foundations.

He also noted that Ambjent Malta as an agency is undergoing a process of restructuring so that it moves further to the centre of the politics of the government, and so it can lead the way for the greening of the island.

Herrera was flanked by San Gwann mayor Trevor Fenech who said it was high time to start making up for what had not been done in the locality, and renewing it from an environmental point of view.