In Malta, despite the wave of seemingly unstoppable overdevelopment, green enclaves seem to cling on to existence and survive across our urban landscape. I am talking about fields and open spaces that are still scattered throughout our towns and villages.

We are losing these green enclaves at a very fast rate, and many of them have survived this far due to inheritance issues. Those that survive also tend to become sites for littering. Nonetheless, these spaces allow Malta to have a much healthier environment, as along with gardens they prevent our urban space from being completely sterile of all natural life. Once the last of our gardens and enclaves is built up, our environmental crisis will have just gotten a whole lot worse.

One of my contributions to Partit Demokratiku policy has been to suggest that the government step in and buy such spaces. They should then be turned into public space. Where the land is agricultural, it can be divided for community farming and gardening projects so people can keep plants and learn how to garden together. Courses could be held there, children educated and entertained and a whole lot more. Land with no such potential can be turned into parks.

Let us not suffocate our island completely. The value of these green enclaves should not be underestimated.