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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 11 DECEMBER 2022 11 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 844. Is-Simar Nature Reserve NOW that the temperature is slowly dropping and we've had some decent rainfall, nature is set for a vigorous winter. Most insects and reptiles would disgree and hide away but the life-giving rain stimu- lates the growth of plants, the basis of all foodchains. And what bet- ter place to enjoy nature than in a nature reserve. Bordered by coast- al development on one side and intensive agriculture on the other, BirdLife's nature reserve at Is-Simar in Xemxija is a green oasis that showcases how nature rewards us when given a chance and proper protection. Is-Simar is a mosaic of connected pools and canals, with swathes of reedbed and groves of tamarisk and olive. With careful habitat management the site attracts more than 120 species of birds in any given year. Go visit some Sunday, entrance is free. Plant of the month: December – White Willow (MT: Żafżaf Kbir) Salix alba Following last month's White Poplar another silvery deciduous tree con- nected to riverside habitats is the White Willow. Until the turn of the cen- tury it had the unfortunate reputation of featuring in the top list of rare trees in Malta until at one point only one male tree survived in the wild. To date there are no female trees recorded as yet in Malta which means it can only be grown from cuttings. Thankfully its numbers increased thanks to an ini- tiative which saw the planting of numerous cuttings at Wied Fiddien which is now a Tree Protection Area (within the Chadwick Lakes Nature Reserve). The White Willow has bicoloured leaves which are narrow, pointed and hairy. It is a fast growing but short lived tree and its habitat is equally rare in Malta. It is a riparian tree which means it typically grows in periodically flooded areas along river banks Known as nature's aspirin the Salicin from the bark has long been used to relieve pain and fever. The active ingredient, salicylic acid, was already recognised in the 19th century and became known as aspirin in its synthetic form. The White Willow is a strictly protected tree in Malta. local businesses and respect the quality labels of the products! Victor Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 732: To stay up to date on the flower of the month and more, subscribe to our monthly newsletter here: https://foemalta. org/get-involved/newsletters-signup/ Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Don't miss this The Vatican Museums 28 December - 30 December Place: Eden Cinemas, Saint Julian's Showing exclusively at the Eden Cinemas on 28th and 30th of December. Tickets now on sale https://bit.ly/ EdenTheVaticanMuseums An extraordinary voyage of discovery to see the most impressive collection of works of art built up over two thousand years of history. For the very first time see cameras inside the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, to show the masterpieces in these collections as they have never been seen before. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Iffjurit bil-Ward Infewwaħ 13 May 2023 Place: Triq Sant'Anton, Attard, CP Productions International with the full collaboration of Socjeta Muzikali La Stella Levantina and of Attard Local Council would like to introduce IFFJURIT BIL-WARD INFEWWAĦ – GO TRIQ L-ARTIST an event on a Local and National scale. The event will be organized in Attard close to San Anton Gardens and Villa Bologna area (San Anton Street and Lord Stickland Street) on Saturday 13th May 2023 A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK A set of five first-edition Jane Austen novels could sell for more than £100,000 at auction. The books were bought by a UK-based private collector in the 1970s and 1980s for about £5,000. Matt Lucas has said "farewell" to the Great British Bake Off tent, as the comedian confirmed he was stepping down as a presenter of the show. The 48-year-old said his three-series stint had been a "delicious experience" but the time needed to oversee bakes alongside other projects was too much. They are now due to be sold at auction in Gloucestershire by the daughter of the collector. "I am cheerfully passing the baguette on to someone else," the former Little Britain star wrote on Twitter.