Once again, trees have come under fire by the authorities.

It is evident that the government and its authorities downplay the importance of trees which, as every little child is taught at school, have an extremely important function in the overall environment. Among other things, trees take in carbon dioxide and produce the oxygen we breathe. They also improve air quality, conserve water, preserve soil and support wildlife. In a country like ours which is hit by hot summers, they provide much needed shade and protection.

But, instead of doing the utmost to safeguard them, there is a tendency to ignore their benefits while putting them at risk.

New rules that were announced in a legal notice published in July say that the letting off of fireworks from near protected trees is now allowed “as long as protective measures are taken”.

As expected, this new situation has angered environmental NGOs who, like most of us, know that enforcing laws is certainly not something that we can be proud of.

“With the Environment and Resources Authority already struggling to enforce existing regulations and rarely penalising events where trees are damaged, including incidents involving fireworks, the new amendments to the legislation risk endangering even well-known wooded areas such as Buskett,” the NGOs said in a statement.

The legal notice, it must be said, was issued after Cabinet approval without any public consultation.

For its part, ERA has justified the measure saying that the updated regulation continues to prioritise tree safety while accommodating fireworks displays under specific conditions and with strict mitigation measures.

We beg to differ, mostly because the risks are great and, also, because we are not convinced that the level of enforcement of such regulations will be up to standard. As a result of this, it is likely that protected trees will be damaged. It is obvious to most of us that the risk that trees catch fire if fireworks are let off at a few metres distance is much greater than if these fireworks were let off from a distance. Simple, no?

The Labour government’s history has shown us that it has little appreciation of the value of trees. We all remember the controversy that erupted when the Central Link in Attard was to be built. And there were many other occasions when it became clear that trees were not high on the priority list when it came of building roads. The justification that other trees are planted to replace full-grown species does not hold water.

Not only, it has often happened that trees were indiscriminately butchered for various reasons. The ficus trees in the heart of Mosta are the perfect example of such barbaric behaviour.

Many of us have also noted how, in many areas, trees that provide respite from the heat and much welcome shade are regularly heavily pruned for no apparent valid reason.

Unfortunately, trees have lost their priority to fireworks too, now.