Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/747633
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2016 17 melled by erosion. Whenever I visit the place, I reminisce about my teenage ram- bles here. The iconic San Dimitri chapel is a fitting landmark with- in such an evocative landscape. Luckily, the site has not been ravaged much by man since then, so that the chirping of birds and the sound of waves pounding the cliffs continue to be the domi- nating background noise in the area." Nature Trust Malta president Vince Attard "My choice would have to be the Pembroke Natura 2000 site. It is a large site that gives you a slight sense of being far away from the busy life, and it is a site rich in both land and coastal ecology systems. The site used to be a military base and part of the ranges are still used. However, the old Vic- torian military trail was restored to offer a pleasant walk or cycling experience through heritage and nature. I remember in the early 70's when I was still a teen and loved nature photography, I used to go there with all my different camera lenses to p h o t o g r a p h f l o w e r s a n d b u t - terflies among others. The only issue was that it was not allowed at that time as this was still a military base. As a matter of fact, I once got chased away by the British forces for being on the site with all my equipment, as they probably thought I was spying." Friends of the Earth chairperson Martin Galea De Giovanni "My pick would have to be Com- ino. If you need to clear your mind from the daily distractions of life, just grab your tent and some ba- sic provisions and head off for a couple of days to Comino; ideally before the summer day trippers turn up. It's interesting to note that Comino was the home of exiled prophetic cabbalist Abraham Abulafia. It was on Comino that Abulafia composed his "Sefer ha-Ot" (The Book of the Sign), and his last work, "ImreShefer" (Words of Beauty) in 1290. Another things of note, is that around Easter time, you will spot many juvenile species of the in- digenous rabbit Oryctolagus cu- niculus ('Fenek tax-Xiber') espe- cially in the late afternoon. Comino is a miniature of how the Maltese islands were before decades of speculation turned the main island into an unrecogniz- able concrete jungle. If Comino is spared this onslaught, future generations will be able to see a small piece of all that was lost in the name of progress. I've been going to Comino since I was in my teens, so my fondest memories of the place feature idyllic days of camping, swim- ming and walking with friends on this remote island teeming with nature." Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar coordinator Astrid Vella "One of my favourite areas to visit would be the area known as l-Ghad- ira ta' Raflu, which is an area just be- yond Kercem in Gozo. The area combines a pond that at- tracts various forms of birdlife, and it also features a lovely walk along Gozo's stunning northern cliffs. A walk here offers breathtaking views of Gozo's unique North Western coastline, allowing visitors to enjoy both sea and countryside scapes at the same time. Unfortunately I don't manage to visit as often as I would like, but there are so many impressive spots on our islands that I consider myself lucky to go there even if it is on very rare occasions. I came across the site some years ago, but it is quite popular with hik- ers. My message to the authorities would be to ensure that they step in whenever illegalities and irregulari- ties occur in these areas, even if they are remote. I think it is important for them to step in to keep these places in their natural state and to keep the place in as natural a state as possible." News Get your FREE copy with the Maltatoday 16 November, 2016 SUNDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2016 Martin Galea De Giovanni: Comino Astrid Vella: Ghadira ta' Raflu Vince Attard: Pembroke