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maltatoday | SUNDAY • 10 DECEMBER 2023 7 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 896. Lentisk THE lentisk (M. deru) is a large evergreen shrub ideal for our dry climate and often one of the dominant vegetation in a habitat known as Mediterranean maquis (M. makkja). Malta too was probably thick with maquis shrubland once but people cleared the land for firewood or to make way for pasture and agriculture; their goats ensured the vegetation never recovered. Today the goats are largely gone and in places the hardy lentisk is making a gradual comeback. Woodland projects speed up the recovery process – at Foresta 2000, for exam- ple, we planted several thousand lentisk shrubs and it's heart-warm- ing to watch patches of thick maquis reforming. Lentisk are prolif- ic berry-bearers (ripening at this time) and the maturing shrubs at Foresta 2000 already provide shelter and rich pickings for tired and hungry birds coming in from the sea. Friends of the Earth Malta Relaunches "Malta Farm Map" to Promote Direct Sales of Local Produce Friends of the Earth Malta (FoEM) is excited to announce the relaunch- ing of its "Malta Farm Map," an initiative designed to foster and cham- pion local farmers, enabling them to sell their fresh fruits and vegetables directly to consumers. This innovative project is aligned with FoEM's mission to safeguard local farmland permanently and educate the pub- lic about the significance of consuming locally sourced produce. The "Malta Farm Map" is an online platform dedicated to showcasing local farms and producers who wish to bypass intermediaries in their sales transactions in Malta and Gozo. The map is readily accessible online, boasting user-friendly navigation on both desktop and mobile devices. Users can explore the interactive map to locate farmers in their vicinity, discover farm shops, farm markets, and organic produce sup- pliers. Victor Falzon, www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 776: Visit the "Malta Farm Map" website at www.foemalta.org/maltafarmmap 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 Kuncert ghas-Sena l-Gdida On 29 December Place: Mediterranean Conference Centre This evening will offer a unique experience to end 2023 in style and celebrate the coming of the New Year with an evening full of well known and loved musical pieces performed by the MPO and the soloists under the musical direction of Mro Economou in the company of family, loved ones, and friends too. The concert will be followed by a reception. All proceeds for Malta Community Chest Fund. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Christmas Around The World On 24 December Place: Mediterranean Conference Centre Featuring Christmas Music from Different Countries. Performers: Marcelline Agius, Matteo Colombo: violin Ester Garcia Salas: viola Daniel Xuereb: violoncello Michelle Agius: double bass Daniel Cauchi: percussion A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK Inspired by the Korean dystopian show Squid Game, competitors had to take part in memorable challenges from the series. At $4.56m (£3.66m), the winner's prize is thought to be the biggest cash prize in the history of reality TV. Writer and poet Benjamin Zephaniah has died aged 65, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour eight weeks ago. A statement posted on his Instagram account confirmed he died in the early hours of Thursday. The challenges included in the series included Green Light, Red Light where players had to run to cross a line while a huge doll of a girl sings - when the singing stops, they must too or risk being "killed". The statement said Zephaniah's wife "was with him throughout and was by his side when he passed".