The Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry has appointed representatives from various entities and NGOs to sit on a committee which will serve as a consultative body on the restoration and embellishment works to be undertaken at Buskett.

The committee, which met last Tuesday, is comprised of members from the Malta Environment and Planning Authority, BirdLife Malta, Nature Trust Malta, Heritage Malta, the Environmental Landscapes Consortium and a resident. The diverse interests represented by each member will ensure that the Ministry will receive the best constructive advice on how work is to be carried out, taking into consideration all aspects of the architectural heritage and diverse ecology found in this area.

The committee was addressed by Environment Minister George Pullicino who highlighted the fact that during the past months work has been carried out to restore the Buskett area and that further work is still required in the coming months. He explained that Mepa will be assisting to some degree by providing Environment Initiatives in Partnership Programme (EIPP) funds for such work.

Among other things, the priorities on the agenda include: vast rubble wall restoration, the clearing of the waterway, the reinstatement of archways, the regeneration of degraded areas, a tree-planting programme, an effective security service and traffic control. There are also plans to have a visitors centre set up in the area.

The ultimate aim of this committee is to produce an effective plan of action, including timeframes, as to how Buskett is to be regenerated in terms of flora and fauna as well as the restoration of historic structures.