Some 1,500 students from EkoSkola have planted HSBC's allocation of trees at the Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park, in an event to mark HSBC Cares For the Environment Fund's 2007 of the 34U afforestation campaign.

A mixture of 5,000 indigenous trees and shrubs were planted, including the Holm Oak, Mediterranean Dwarf Palm, Myrtle, Lentisk, Olive, Bianca, and Wolfbane. The Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park is managed by Nature Trust and maintained by the Parks Department.

Nature Trust (Malta) thanked HSBC for its environmental initiative and for being one of the lead companies on the island to contribute significantly and tangibly towards Malta's natural heritage.

Ekoskola is one of five educational programmes run by the international organisation Foundation for Environmental Education, represented in Malta by Nature Trust. The programme is run in 60 schools in Malta and Gozo, and the number of participating schools is increasing.

The creation of the Xrobb l-Ghagin Nature Park and Sustainable Development Centre has been partly supported by a grant from the EEA Financial Mechanism and Norwegian Financial Mechanism of circa EUR635,000 to Nature Trust (Malta). The objective of the project is to increase the use of renewable energy, wastewater management and safeguarding biodiversity. This includes the planting of trees and the refurbishment and conversion of the existing building to a dormitory and classrooms. There will be the installations of a water treatment facility and a renewable energy based electricity production as well. HSBC is also supporting the project through its contribution to the afforestation part of the project.