The Rural Affairs and the Environment Ministry has announced that the Lm40,000 target to replace the 3,000 trees that were vandalised at the Foresta 2000 site with 6,000 instead, has been reached.

Minister George Pullicino said that the government wants to increase the target even further. “By October, we hope to have collected enough funds to have three trees planted to replace each tree that was vandalised on the night between 8 and 9 May,” he said.

Another donation of 1,000 trees was received by the Italian Environment and Maritime Protection Minister Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio, who is currently in Malta on a flying visit.

Rural Affairs and the Environment Minister George Pullicino visited the site on Saturday morning, to receive donations from a number of non-governmental organisations and private companies.

Mr Pullicino expressed his immense satisfaction that the Lm40,000 target was reached in such a short time. He said the Maltese have certainly passed on a clear message to those who committed the criminal act.

The additional funds that the government is planning to collect will be used to plant more trees at Foresta 2000 during a family activity that is being planned for the third week of October.

Foresta 2000 is a site in Mellieha, where Din l-Art Helwa and BirdLife Malta are carrying out an afforestation project. Among the organisations and companies that have given donations to replace the vandalised trees are: Actavis Ltd, Edible Oil Refining Company, Atlas Insurance, Unible Systems, the Mellieha Local Council, the Mellieha PN club and the Manikata Youth Group.