Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1297549
4 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 OCTOBER 2020 NEWS Woodland grant to hunters roundly condemned MATTHEW AGIUS SPAZJI Miftuħa, a coalition of more than 60 NGOs and groups, yesterday condemned the way the government had gifted vast swathes of public land to hunters, saying it had "bulldozed over public opinion." The government signed off manage- ment of the Miżieb and Aħrax wood- lands in Mellieħa to the hunters feder- ation FKNK on Friday. "The unethical and disrespectful way ministers Ian Borg Aaron Farrugia and Parliamentary Sec- retary Chris Agius signed an agreement behind everybody's backs only proves their wrongdoing," said the coalition in a statement on Saturday. In reaction to an "overwhelming" re- sponse by the general public, Spazji Miftuħa said it would be organising sev- eral walks in Miżieb on Sunday 11 Octo- ber. It encouraged the public to enjoy the beauty of nature and promised another event would happen soon. On the other side of the issue, hunting organisation Kaċċaturi San Ubertu re- leased a statement to clarify its position, saying that it had not been consulted on the matter. "Kaċċaturi San Ubertu be- lieves in the right of every citizen to the enjoyment of public land as well as the controlled and manged used of certain lands to allow different sectors to prac- tise their respective hobbies." Kaċċatu- ri San Ubertu said this belief applied to the Natura 2000 site at Għadira s-Safra which it manages as a nature reserve which is open to everyone. The organisation said it welcomed the agreement "because it is a step which shows the trust by the authorities in an organisation of hunters and trappers to manage public land." But it pointed out that, contrary to what was being said, it had never been involved or consulted in the process. It clarified that as an autono- mous voluntary organisation, none of its members were allowed in these sites. Kaċċaturi San Ubertu said it "believes that every Maltese citizen has an equal right to enter any public land, without discrimination or restriction on who and when." Whilst agreeing that there should be an organisation responsible for the site, it asked the authorities not to grant ac- cess rights exclusively to those responsi- ble for the site and to ensure that there is no entrance fee charged. "In the name of its 3,000 members, Kaċċaturi San Ubertu hopes the government will listen to these requests," it said. Plans of the Miżieb and Aħrax wood- lands that the Labour government has placed under the guardianship of Malta's hunting lobby FKNK, have revealed mi- niscule tracts of land that will be solely reserve for "picnics". The government has tried to put to bed accusations of underhandedness in the signing the agreement for a token €400 annually, saying both reserves were be- ing administered by the FKNK, under different administrations, for the past 34 years. "The Federation, with the help of its members and volunteers, had always taken great care of the area, by cultivat- ing trees, and maintaining kilometres of rubble wall," reads the statement. The government said the fait accompli deal "formalised and regularised what has been in practice for decades" and assured that the general public will have free ac- cess to these reserves all year round, "the same access they have had for the past 34 years. "This agreement ensures that the public road and passages will remain open at all times. Picnic and camping zones will re- main as now and new camping sites will be added… All of this at the same time as new obligations are imposed on the FKNK to ensure that the environment is safeguarded." The government is claiming the agree- ment is no different to the nature reserves run by conservationist NGO Birdlife, such as the Salini public zone, for which it receives financial assistance every year to administer and safeguard the Salini re- serve – which is open to the public. "This government will see that natural zones in Malta and Gozo are adminis- tered by NGOs. These NGOs have the experience, know-how and dedication to ensure they are kept at their best. Thanks to the agreement between ERA and FKNK, the upkeep of the natural habitat is guaranteed. A number of obligations for ERA have been put in place in this agreement and will be enforced by the Directorate of the said authority." According to the terms of the agree- ment, public access to the sites is allowed "except for during specific times of day during the hunting season/s" but does not specify what those times of day are. A Memorandum of Understanding concerning the two sites only states that FKNK must ensure public access to "all public passageways and thoroughfares". Autumn hunting season, which runs from the beginning of September to the end of January, allows hunting from two hours before sunrise to two hours after sunset, as well as until 1pm on Sundays and public holidays. Hunting hours are further extended by other hunting seasons, such as spring hunting season for quail or summer sea- son for wild rabbits. Picnic sites in yellow: the FKNK drafted these plans for the government, for Mizieb (top) and l-Ahrax, below