Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1283588
14 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 AUGUST 2020 PHOTO BY MESDC EYEWITNESS Owl nursery Environmental conservation and the protection of Malta's native biodiversity can be seen here at the Razzett tal- Baghal ('The Mule's Farmhouse), a site managed by the Federation for Hunting and Conservation Malta (FKNK). The farmhouse includes a visitors and interpretation centre with broad-level information on the historical and natural features of Buskett, including aspects of geomorphology, hydrology, ecology and cultural heritage. The site is home to the barn owl project which will now enter its second phase. This project aims to reintroduce barn owls in suitable environments in Malta and Gozo through a technique successfully conducted by falconers across the globe. It is supported by the Conservation of Wild Birds Fund for Voluntary Organisations. The FKNK, together with ACT's initiative of Saggar, set up a Nursery within the Razzett tal-Baghal by planting over 2,500 seeds, in 800ml square re-usable pots, of native trees and shrubs which were collected from the Buskett gardens' surroundings. The trees will then be distributed to the public for free. The project is hoped to re-introduce the Barn Owl back to its natural habitat after its extinction in Malta in the late 1980s due to poaching and illegal hunting. "Environmental conservation and the protection of our native biodiversity are two of the pillars of functioning ecosystems, and it is our duty to promote and invest in initiatives which preserve it for present and future generations – ensuring that our natural heritage does not become a distant memory," environment minister Aaron Farrugia said while on a visit to the centre.