Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1533839
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 30 MARCH 2025 NEWS JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt ANNOUNCEMENT OF CALLS FOR PROJECT PROPOSALS UNDER Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Strategic Plan for Malta 2023-2027 The Ministry responsible for European Funds is launching calls for project proposals as indicated hereunder: Intervention 78.1.2 Knowledge Exchange and Dissemination of Information: Support for short-term farm management exchange as well as farm visits The first batch of this call will close on Friday 13 th June 2025 at noon. (additional subsequent closure dates may be notified on the website https://fondi.eu/ ) Prospective applicants are encouraged to refer to https://fondi.eu/ to access the CAP Strategic Plan, as well as the Guidance Notes and the application forms related to this call An Information sessions is being organised at the Oaks Business Centre, Farsons Street, Hamrun (MA Office) on Thursday 10 th April 2025 For further information and to register for this information session kindly access the below QR Code or call SEM on 2779 7300. Further queries are to be sent by email on fondi.eu@gov.mt ONE of the majestic trees on the side of the parvis of St John's Co-Cathedral, home to hundreds of roosting birds, is facing the chop. The predicament comes four years after the St John's Cathedral Foundation was granted a permit to erect a subterranean substa- tion beneath one of the protected trees. The removal of the tree still requires an environmental per- mit, which is pending a decision by the Environment and Resourc- es Authority. The decision to locate the sub- station under one of the trees fol- lowed previous attempts by the foundation to place it elsewhere. However, these attempts were thwarted by the discovery of shel- ters in the area. Subsequent studies indicated that the area beneath the tree was the only feasible location. Ecological importance of the tree cluster The cluster of ficus trees in front of the cathedral and on its side near the Great Siege monument forms one of the largest roosting sites for the White Wagtail (Zakak Abjad) in Malta. The roost has remained stable over the years, hosting between 10,000 and 14,000 wagtails daily. However, in 2024, a record-break- ing 16,182 wagtails were counted – the highest number ever record- ed at the site. Mature trees over 50 years old, like the ficus trees in question, are legally protected when locat- ed in "urban, public open spaces." However, they can still be up- rooted if compensatory trees are grown elsewhere. Discovery of shelters led to relocation of substation Contacted by MaltaToday the Cathedral Foundation's CEO To- nio Mallia acknowledged that the permit issued in 2021 "includes the removal of one tree on St John's Street, as clearly indicated in approved drawings." However, Mallia explained that there was no other location where the substation required for the ca- thedral museum could be placed. He noted that the permit for the new museum, issued in 2016, fore- saw the development of a subterra- nean substation at the corner of St John's Street and Merchant Street. However, a network of shelters was discovered n this precise loca- tion. These shelters extend below the museum building at the cor- ner of the two roads, with tunnels connecting Merchant Street to Republic Street. "Therefore, it became evident that this location was not ade- quate for the proposed substa- tion. The shelters in question have since been taken over by Heritage Malta," Mallia said. Subsequently, studies were car- ried out to find a new location for the substation. "The only location found to be adequate and free from existing subterranean struc- tures was further down St John's Street, closer to the parvis," Mallia told MaltaToday. A planning application was then submitted to request shifting the underground electrical substation to the new site and this was ap- proved in 2021. The permit has yet to be imple- mented. However, in a sign that works are now imminent, the Foundation has submitted an ap- plication for an environmental permit from ERA for intervention on protected trees in the area. So far, the only document attached to the application identifies a site in Ta' Qali for transplanting the ficus tree. BirdLife calls for stronger remedial measures Contacted by MaltaToday, BirdLife conservation officer Nicholas Barbara underlined the ecological importance of the tree while acknowledging that the Ca- thedral Foundation "has attempt- ed to seek other alternatives." To mitigate the impact on roost- ing birds, he insisted that no works should be carried out between October and April, when White Wagtails winter in Malta and use these trees as a roosting area. Moreover, Barbara noted that the proposed remediation in the environmental permit request "does nothing to compensate for the loss of the roosting potential of this area." Instead, he proposed integrating new trees into the area and ensur- ing "stronger legal protection" of the tree cluster from ERA's side. "Additionally, one could also channel appropriate resources into educating the public and us- ing the Foundation's building as a vector to raise awareness and appreciation for this unique phe- nomenon, which is truly part of Valletta's natural heritage." Majestic tree next to St John's Co-Cathedral faces the chop