Around 3,000 pine trees were uprooted, chopped or otherwise damaged in the early hours of yesterday morning, as vandals targeted the Mellieha afforestation project.

The trees had been planted over the past three years as part of the project, which is managed by the Park Department, BirdLife Malta and Din l-Art Helwa.

Din l-Art Helwa president Martin Galea described yesterday’s incidents as “sad”, and added that this was just one of a spate of acts of vandalism on cultural heritage sites.

“This is a case of organised cultural vandalism followed up by threats to BirdLife. Din l-Art Helwa expresses its support and solidarity with BirdLife. The trees cost between Lm40,000 and Lm50,000 and this does not include the cost involved in planting and watering them. Three years of work – all gone to waste,” he said.

Mr Galea said the Park Department, Din l-Art Helwa and BirdLife have been working hard to create a nature park, with the Mellieha Red Tower as a backdrop, to be enjoyed by visitors.

BirdLife executive director Tolga Temugue said his organisation has been telling the police and the government about the risks in recent months, and recalled a recent vandalism attack during which vandals

scribbled that the worst was yet to come.

When asked about security in the area, Mr Galea said it was very difficult to guard all the vulnerable sites around Malta and Gozo from this “bunch of cultural vandals”.

“These people are against Malta’s nature and culture. It’s about time the authorities get these culprits before more harm is caused, including possible bodily harm,” he said.

It must have taken the vandals, probably a fairly large group, a good two hours to vandalise all the trees. Moreover, the area is very dark and the vandals only targeted the pine trees, probably because they were aware that all the other trees could recover but pine trees could not.

The attack was condemned yesterday by the Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry.