Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1327039
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 JANUARY 2021 14 COMMERCIAL Roman-era olive grove to be protected AMBJENT Malta and Heritage Malta have been collaborating closely to ensure the protection and upkeep of an olive grove with significant importance in Bidnija, with trees as old as 1,800 years. This was announced by Min- ister for the Environment, Cli- mate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia and Minister for National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government José Herrera during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) be- tween the two entities. The Conservation Plan out- lined in this MOU includes the details of the measures that are undertaken by both Ambjent Malta and Heritage Malta. Minister Aaron Farrugia ex- plained that these measures include the pruning of trees by qualified gardeners within the afforestation section of Amb- jent Malta, given that these trees are protected through the provisions of the Trees and Woodlands Protection Regu- lations (2011). An ERA permit would be required for such pruning to take place. Another important measure is the testing for the Xyella fastidiosa, a disease which is a major threat to olive trees. This disease is not as of yet present in Malta and all olive trees in this grove have tested negative, however, thousands of olive trees in southern Italy have been affected by this emerging disease. Additional measures in- clude the genetic testing and polyphenol content in col- laboration with University of Malta, propagation of 'Bidni' olives and planting, installation of CCTV surveillance cameras, fire prevention measures, and the restoration of rubble walls. "The implementation of these measures stands as testa- ment to government's commit- ment towards the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem ser- vices for future generations", Farrugia said. Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government José Herrera ex- pressed his satisfaction at the signing of this agreement. He stated that this is a clear ex- ample of how different entities can share their resources and collaborate for the protection of our tangible heritage. The area where the grove is located is also of archaeological importance given the remains of a rustic villa from the Ro- man period where oil used to be worked. In fact, earlier this year another agreement was signed, between Heritage Mal- ta, the University of Malta and the Superintendence for Cul- tural Heritage, in order for the three entities to work together for the conservation of the cul- tural heritage of this site. Further to the protection of this area emanating from the Trees and Woodlands Protec- tion Regulations (2011) and the additional protection that the site receives from it being a scheduled Tree Protection Area, Area of Ecological Im- portance and Site of Scientific Importance, this MOU pro- vides additional measures to strengthen and safeguard the protection and conservation of these trees. GO signs four-year agreement to support MCCF WHEN it comes to support- ing the country, never as much as this year has GO's role been more evidently felt, and not- withstanding the challenging times, GO still honoured its CSR commitments with continued support and donations of funds and equipment to several NGO's and charity organisations. So besides supporting the an- nual Istrina campaign with a monetary donation of €70,000, GO is this year further cement- ing its support to the MC- CF with the signing of a new four-year agreement to help it achieve its more long-term goals. "GO has always been and will always remain at the heart of the Maltese community and this is why we have committed to a four-year support agree- ment with the MCCF. We be- lieve in the unique role that the MCCF has in supporting the Maltese community and we believe that since this is also in line with our mission of leaving no one behind, joining forces can only lead to more posi- tive outcomes," said GO CEO Nikhil Patil. As in previous years, GO once again mobilized its technical team of people to ensure that the technical aspect behind this event proceeded smoothly. "Istrina 2020 is a special edi- tion, not only due to the Cov- id19 restrictions but also be- cause this year, we completely changed the set-up of the GO services, which this year were powered by cutting-edge tech- nology such as Fibre and VoIP in multiple venues simultane- ously, in order to manage over 40,000 calls," added Ayrton Caruana, Chief Operations Of- ficer. Amongst the equipment used, GO supplied 1.5Km of fibre cable, 1.5km of CAT 5 cable, 70 IP Phones for receiv- ing donations, WiFi TV boxes, True-Fibre gigabit internet, as well as direct fibre links to various TV stations. GO also provided teams of technical people on stand-by on site at the Kirkop Sports Complex, at MITA in Santa Venera and at GO's offices to oversee all the technicalities required for an event of this magnitude. "The setup required for Is- trina is a highly intricate but as one of the longest-standing telecoms company in Malta with a mission to connect the Maltese to what matters most to them, we take great pride knowing that it is also thanks to our technology that Istrina can connect and brings togeth- er the whole nation," added Patil.