Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/739032
BIRDLIFE will be managing the Burmarrad salt pans, is-Salini, following a €7 million restora- tion co-financed by the Euro- pean Union. Transport and environment ministers Joe Mizzi and José Herrera presided the signing of the handover to BirdLife chief executive Mark Sultana, who de- scribed it as a "historic moment". "Importance to the natural environment should go beyond nature reserves and must be ex- panded across the country, sus- taining a culture of respect to- wards the natural habitat and its species," he said. BLM already manages the Ghadira Nature Reserve in Mel- lieha, the Simar Nature Reserve at St Paul's Bay and Foresta 2000. This will make the Salina Re- serve the largest in Malta once a general framework agreement is finalised. "We hope the public will now be able to enjoy new bird species that are attracted to the area and maybe even breed there," Sul- tana said. The salt pans' potential to at- tract birds was proven repeated- ly by birds alighting at the Salini during migration, including the most spectacular Flamingo – a bird synonymous with salt pans, especially in the Mediterranean. As part of the Natura 2000 net- work, the salt plans are a Spe- cial Area of Conservation (SAC) where endemic f lora and fauna can be found in the area. The salt pans were construct- ed by the Knights of St John in the 16th century. Three timber huts used for salt production were reconstructed on the same style of the original ones built by the British in the 18th century, which today house a visitors' centre. The salt plans include the Xi- menes Redoubt, originally con- structed in 1715-16 during the reign of Grand Master Perellos as part of a network of coastal fortifications. By the end of the 18th century, the redoubt was partially converted into a salt magazine, and Ximenes added a second warehouse to increase storage capacity. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 16 OCTOBER 2016 News Salini devolved to BirdLife University to conduct sub-sea tunnel studies THE University of Malta will be carrying out the studies into the sub-sea tunnel which would con- nect Gozo to Malta. Transport Malta has signed an agreement with the University of Malta for the latter to conduct geo- logical and geophysical investiga- tions. The scientific investigations will include both desktop and field studies, passive seismic measure- ments, bathymetric mapping, and a seismic study. The final results of these inves- tigations will also incorporate the results from the recently published Investigative Coring tender. These results will in turn generate a Terrestrial Baseline study which will include geological, geomorpho- logical and hydrogeological maps. It will also include a digital elevation model, cross-sectional profiles and hydrological models. The University of Malta will conduct a Marine Baseline study, including a geological model of to- pography, stratigraphy, structure, geological, geophysical and tectonic properties of the study area. University rector Alfred Vella said it was important for the uni- versity to produce studies that can be implemented for the benefit of society at large. The agreement at- tests to the strategy that the Uni- versity plays a key role in projects of national importance such as the sub-sea tunnel between Malta and Gozo, Vella said. The Salini salt pans, devolved to BirdLife