Similar work will be carried out on four other sites in the next three years. The projects include, tree planting and an extension of the Kennedy Grove park. Another project includes tree planting and rehabilitation of the Torri l-Ahmar area, in collaboration with Birdlife and Din l-Art Helwa as well as tree planting at the Xrobb l-Ghagin (ex-Dutche Welle) area. Finally there are also plans for the development of a park in Delimara.
Work at Ta’ Qali has been phased into a number of projects, last year, the park had already been planted with a number of Znuber trees that have now grown to almost full size and filled most of the planes in the formal garden.
The work the minister visited forms part of the oak tree circle area. This zone was earmarked for plantation of oak trees. The side of the site – leading up to the picnic area – was rehabilitated and engineered into a sequence of rubble walled, terraced mounds, upon which some 200 oak trees were planted.
The structure will serve as the entrance of the formal garden from the picnic gardens. The terracing, in fact, replaces a rubble mound that used to function as a windbreaker for the formal gardens. “Because Ta’ Qali is such a flat land space, we felt the need to retain this elevation, both for its wind breaking characteristics and for aesthetic reasons,” the minister explained.
The work was carried out by the Parks Afforestation and Restoration Campaign Unit and should be ready by October. The unit is responsible for the management of similar projects and the restoration of the countryside in special routes or places.
The entire tree planting project also includes the development of some10 tumoli, for tree planting. So far the soil of the area was gathered and the present picnic park was cleaned.
However, the project will see the park extended and will even take over a stretch from the road adjacent to it, known as the runway.
Once completed, the area will have a large number of indigenous trees and other trees, representing different European countries.
This project is to be integrated into the roots circle area, in which trees sponsored by Maltese migrants were planted.
These projects are intended for the benefit of everyone, Mr Pullicino said, commenting that a number of olive trees, planted earlier this year, had been stolen.
“The perpetrator in question has been apprehended and is now being dealt with by the police, however there were a number of problems with vandalism on other projects,” he said, appealing for the public’s cooperation.