Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/269668
THIS WEEK maltatoday, SUNDAY, 2 MARCH 2014 35 THIS WEEK IIf you ask anyone including kids – especially kids – to make a quick sketch of a ower they would invariably draw you a daisy. That simple pattern of radiating petals with a disk in the middle is so quintessentially ' ower', isn't it. Well, daisies and their relatives (the Asteraceae, in botanist-speak) form what is probably the biggest ower family on the planet. We are not short of them here either, with well over a hundred species, and one that's now starting to bloom is the eld marigold (M: su ejra tar-raba'). It's a short plant but lots of them often grow in a stand together and form quite a carpet. The owers are medium to small, each sporting a score of orangey petals around a slightly darker middle. The eld marigold is common and grows along country lanes and eld margins. Sadly this species falls squarely inside the 'weed' category, their crime being that they grow wild. They are therefore legitimate quarry for platoons of men armed with herbicides and grasscutters, all intent on keeping our road verges 'clean'. How stupid is that? Text Victor Falzon Photo Alex Casha 393. FIELD MARIGOLD Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as for information about how to join us www.foemalta.org. You can also support us by sending a blank SMS donation on 50618070 (€4.66) or 50619223 (€11.65). GREEN IDEA OF THE WEEK 295: TEA TIME FOR YOU AND YOUR PLANTS – Give plants a treat - soak used tea bags in cold water, then pour the nutrient-rich brew near the base of the plant. Invasive alien species are one of the main direct drivers of biodiversity loss at the global level. In some ecosystems, such as many island ecosystems, invasive alien species are the leading cause of biodiversity decline. Invasive alien species primarily affect biodiversity by preying on native species or competing with them for resources. In addition to their environmental impacts, invasive alien species can pose a threat to food security, human health and economic development. Increasing travel, trade, and tourism have facilitated the movement of species beyond natural bio-geographical barriers by creating new pathways for their introduction. With increasing globalization, the occurrence of invasive alien species is likely to increase unless additional measures are taken. This target focuses on two types of actions, the control or eradication of invasive alien species and the management of their introduction pathways. Specifically, meeting this target globally will require that the invasive alien species and their pathways are identified and eventually controlled. Broadly, invasive alien species are those which have been introduced and/or spread outside their natural ranges and as a result threaten biological diversity. Any organism can become invasive; the phenomenon is not limited by taxonomic group and can occur in all types of ecosystems. While a small percentage of introduced species become invasive, the negative impacts can be extensive. In most countries there are likely to be several different invasive alien species present therefore, in order to effectively address this threat, such species must first be identified. Pathways, also referred to as vectors, are the means by which alien species are introduced to new environments. Depending on the ecosystem there are likely to be a number of different pathways for the introduction of alien species. Common pathways include shipping (ballast water, boat hulls and shipping containers), the accidental or intentional introduction of species from agricultural or aquaculture activities and the escape of species introduced to a new environment. As part of its national obligations Malta targets that by 2020, measures are in place to prevent, in so far as practical, the introduction and establishment of new invasive non-native species, while those that are established are identified and prioritised for eradication or control, where feasible. Behind the curtain with Jane Marshall and Narcy Calamatta JANE Marshall and Narcy Calamat- ta will be interviewed by Immanuel Mifsud as part of the next Mid-Din- ja tat-Teatru session, which will be held on Monday 10 March at 19:00 at Manoel Theatre, Valletta. Offering a glimpse into the world of theatre in Malta, the Mid-Dinja tat-Teatru series is now in its second season. This is theatre as related by some of its protagonists, the people who have lived it first-hand, waiting excitedly behind the curtain, a part of the story they relate, real life and theatre merging in the first-hand recollections of the people who have helped make it what it is today. Jane Marshall's acting career took off in the sixties, when she started taking part in Greek tragedies. At the time she got involved with the Moviment Qawmien Letter- arju, particularly the seminal series Xsenuru. In 1969 Jane travelled to London to study theatre profession- ally at the Italia Conti Stage School, from which she graduated in 1971. On her return to Malta, she involved herself in a number of theatre, TV and radio productions. She also took part in a number of children's pro- grammes but it is for the teleseries Il-Madonna taċ-Ċoqqa by Guże' Diacono that she is mostly remem- bered. She emigrated to Australia in 1980, where she worked with a number of Australian institutions, including the Special Broadcasting Service Television and Grundy Pro- ductions. On her return to Malta in 1995, she re-immersed herself in the local theatre and television scene, including the recent L-Indemonjati u Maltin Oħra by Albert Marshall at the theatre, Ipokriti and Anġli- Kapitlu Ġdid on TV. Narcy Calamatta is well-known as an actor in theatre, film and TV as well as a stage director. It is this latter aspect which will be tackled mainly in the interview for the Mid- Dinja tat-Teatru series. His directing work includes Plautus in 1973 and another three plays for Compania Filodrammatica Goldoni, for which he also designed the stage sets. For Maleth, Narcy introduced Neil Si- mon comedies to Malta and also di- rected one. In 1975 he directed the opera La Traviata. In 1987 he was one of the founders of Politeatru, for whom he directed Lope de Vega, Wesker, O'Neill, Ibsen and Fo. In 1988 he instituted Tejatru Blekin- waj with protest political scripts by Mario Azzopardi for street theatre. In 1989 he was a founder member for Iljieli Mediterranji for which he directed several pageants. Narcy writes for the theatre in Maltese and English and his works have been produced in several theatres in Malta as well as the University of Munich in Germany and in Israel. In a career spanning a lifetime, he has directed over 40 plays and worked with hundreds of actors. At Mid-Dinja tat-Teatru, inter- views are held with some of the protagonists of the Maltese thea- tre scene, coming from a variety of roles: from actors and directors to producers. This season also intro- duced a number of changes: apart from the well-known names, the series also features upcoming pro- tagonists who are making a mark on the local theatre scene. All inter- views are carried out in Maltese by Immanuel Mifsud. After the inter- view, the discussion continues over wine and nibbles. Free entrance. The Mid-Dinja tat-Teatru series is a collaboration between Teatru Ma- noel and the Malta Council for Cul- ture and the Arts, complementing the Francis Ebejer Competition. Offering a glimpse into the world of theatre, Mid- Dinja tat-Teatru is now in its second season Aichi Biodiversity Targets – Invasive alien species prevented and controlled Jane Marshall as Mefistu in 'Fawst'