X Marks The Chop: Anger In Protest Group As Santa Luċija Trees Marked For Destruction
It’s hardly the best season for trees on the island. Hot on the heels of the Central Link project controversy, it was announced today that 300 more trees in Santa Luċija risk getting chopped down to make way for two underground tunnels.
The trunks of the doomed trees have been spray-painted with a green cross, in a move one observer described as a ‘kiss of death’.
And anger is tangible in a Facebook group originally set up by 19-year-old activist Sasha Vella to oppose the Central Link project, which has since ballooned to almost 12,000 members.
“I honestly understand that projects are necessary but I am so certain that the trees are not being given any priorities,” a woman commented. “I have seen trees sprouting out of houses!”
“Feeling so helpless, I can’t bare to watch anymore!” someone else added.
A former arts student posted a photo of a tree that used to stand by the Addolorata cemetery which he had taken as part of a school project.
“These trees are no longer there because they were removed as part of the Marsa Junction project,” he said. “It really saddens me because they were lovely trees.”
Others drew contrasts with how the Ethiopian government yesterday planted over 350 million trees in 12 hours, in what is believed to be a world record.
Meanwhile, people are also debating whether to follow up last weekend’s protest against Central Link with another protest against the destruction of trees in Santa Luċija.
Several people have thrown in their support while others called for protest actions to be taken up a notch, with proposals aired including blocking the roads in rush hour, intentionally clogging the streets with traffic and directly confronting the choppers.
Infrastructure Malta was awarded a development permit to construct the tunnels last September, as part of the major Marsa junction project which is intended to alleviate traffic congestion in one of the island’s traffic hotspots.
The environmental impact assessment for the project states that 547 trees will have to be chopped down, out of which 262 will be transplanted. However, it warns that there may be difficulties in securing the successful transplantation of the more mature trees, meaning more trees might be lost than currently envisaged.
The uprooting of trees requires a permit from the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), while ERA’s guidelines require compensation in the form of new trees for all projects involving the uprooting of over 100 trees.
However, these regulations can be flexible and allows for monetary compensation if the actual planting cannot be catered for, set at €500 per tree not planted.
Compensations are deposited straight into ERA’s Environment Fund for future afforestation and planting projects.
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