Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1262267
6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 JUNE 2020 NEWS JAMES DEBONO AMBJENT Malta has plans to rehabilitate Wied Għajn Riha- na and plant 1,600 native trees in the partially man-made wa- tercourse passing through the Burmarrad floodplain. The project will remove in- vasive and non-native plants, plant indigenous trees and shrub, repair passageways and restore rubble walls. There will also be 128 secu- rity cameras meant to fend off vandals but also off-roaders, which are being deemed exces- sive by the Environment and Resources Authority and which has warned against any formal- isation of the site through con- crete pathways. The stream, which originates from Wied l-Imselliet in Mġarr and Wied Għajn Mula and con- nects with the downstream area of Wied il-Għasel, is presently abandoned and prone to flood- ing. This valley system is part of the second largest water catch- ment in the Maltese islands, that flows into Salini and Bur- marrad. The site is also desig- nated as an Area of Ecological Importance and Site of Scientif- ic Importance. An afforestation project in Wied Għajn Rihana in the early 1980s resulted in the planting of numerous invasive Acacia saligna trees. Masonry bridg- es were constructed along the watercourse as passageways for farmers, which form extensive water basins that facilitate aqui- fer recharge. But over the past years of ne- glect, the structures suffered numerous damages throughout the years due to neglect and lack of maintenance. In order to guarantee that the site will remain free of dumped refuse, vandalism and off-road bikers, the whole area will be under security camera surveil- lance. 64, four-metre high timber poles, will be planted on the side of the existing fields spaced 25m from each other, each to take two CCTV cameras. The poles will be exclusively used for security cameras and no street lighting will be intro- duced to the site. Any required wiring will be passed through PVC sleeves embedded inside the flooring concrete. In order to be able to run the system with 128 cameras on site, a 9sq.m room will be locat- ed opposite an Enemalta substa- tion by an existing stone bridge within reach of the main road, for better access of electricity and fibre-optic data supplies. The room will be clad with rub- ble wall material to minimize its visual impact. The same room will also house the control pan- elling of the whole irrigation system. On its part the Environment and Resources Authority wel- comed the project but suggest- ed that the use of concrete on the existing passageways should be kept to a minimum as to pre- vent incompatibility with the natural surrounding areas. Moreover, the installation of 128 cameras on site is being considered excessive and could end up over-formalising the site. ERA is insisting that the pro- ject does not establish new right-of-ways or the endorse- ment of any accesses con- structed without permit. The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage also expressed its con- cern that the proposed works will lead to the formalisation of the area, something which would have an "undeniable im- pact on the on legibility of cul- tural landscape". The inclusion of 1,600 native trees will ensure that pollina- tors will have an adequate re- placement for foraging. In order to guarantee that the 1,600 new native trees have good irrigation, a 64sq.m un- derground water reservoir will be located underneath a new stone bridge. A method statement present- ed by Ambjent Malta describes the "invasion of Acacia saligna trees" as the largest threat to the watercourse. These trees will be hacked down with chainsaws in a way which causes the least disturbance to the soil. The waterway is also presently full of debris, also blocking the PVC pipework through which running water passes through. As part of the embellishment, the whole waterway will be manually cleared of all the de- bris, dead logs and other ma- terial which is presently found within the same waterway. The project also foresees the resurfacing of the existing pas- sageways, which are present- ly covered with just soil and rubble. The plans exclude the excavation of the existing road surface. Instead, the road lev- el will be raised by 28cm using concrete bedding, which will then be covered by lower coral- line limestone, laid in irregular shape and sizes. Since the existing road within the entrance to the site crosses the waterway, this often results in flooding. To eliminate this problem, a new stone bridge very similar to the existing ones is being proposed. This bridge will cover an area amounting to approximately 64sq.m, in which three PVC pipes will en- sure that water passes through the waterway. The stone bridge will also have a recessed middle area, so that in case of heavy rain when the PVC pipes will no longer be sufficient, water rushing down the waterway can still pass over the stone bridge without caus- ing any flooding. jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt 128 security cameras deployed to fight bikers, vandalism and illegal dumping in Għajn Rihana valley 1,600 new trees will be planted in the Burmarrad watercourse. In order to guarantee that the site will remain free of dumped refuse, vandalism and off-road bikers, the whole area will be under security camera surveillance PHOTO JAMES BIANCHI Off with the off-roaders!