In the ongoing saga in Dingli to save the 300-year old trees that are in danger of being chopped down, residents and activists have come together to apply for an urgent Tree Protection Order, which would give legal safeguard to these ancient trees.

Some months ago, a Nature Permit was issued to chop down these trees, in order to make way for a highly controversial and dubious road right through ODZ arable land. However, a direct action by residents, farmers and activists helped put a temporary stop to the works.

Now, a hundred people have given their name to show their support for the Tree Protection Order, which would designate the area as a Tree Preservation Area, since the trees and the area where they are found meet a number of the criteria necessary in order to be given this protection, namely:

• The trees are well over 300 years old and were planted during the times of the Knights of St. John;
• They lie adjacent to ODZ arable fields and thus provide essential nutrients to the soil where crops are grown;
• Their extensive root system contributes to reducing soil erosion which again is essential for the nearby fields;
• There are numerous wells (spieri), again made hundreds of years ago, which are entwined with the tree roots under the soil which are used to this day to water the fields, and which would be in danger of irreparable damage if these trees were to be destroyed;
• They provide much needed wind cover for the nearby fields;
• The biodiversity that has evolved over the hundreds of years with the trees themselves can never be replaced by planting young trees as compensation;
• The trees are found right next to a Scheduled Grade 1 church from the 1500s and thus are culturally and historically significant; 
• The trees represent one of the very few remaining wooded areas within Dingli, a rural village which is becoming increasingly urbanised. These trees provide shade, shelter, and so much more to all the people who work and live in the area.

Numerous entities have come out against the chopping of these valuable trees, including the farmers of the area, the residents of the area, the Catholic Cultural Heritage Commission (KPKK), the Interdiocesan Environment Commission (KA), as well as several NGOs who have stated that “the project goes against the aims of the Rural Policy since it threatens farmers’ livelihood.”

We ask ERA to take all of these points into consideration and to give these trees the protection that they so rightly deserve, not just for the sake of the trees, but for the sake of the farmers who work in the area, and for the residents of Dingli, so that they and future generations may continue to enjoy these trees for years to come.

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Mitt applikant jingħaqdu biex isalvaw is-siġar ta’ Ħad-Dingli

Fis-saga li għaddejja f’Ħad-Dingli biex jiġu salvati s-siġar ta’ 300 sena li jinsabu fil-periklu li jitqaċċtu, ir-residenti u l-attivisti ngħaqdu flimkien biex japplikaw b’mod urġenti għal Ordni ta’ Protezzjoni tas-Siġar, li tagħti s-salvagwardja legali lil dawn is-siġar tant antiki.

Xi xhur ilu, inħareġ Nature Permit biex jitqaċċtu dawn is-siġar, sabiex issir triq kontroversjali u dubjuża ferm,minn ġo art ODZ li għadha tinħarat. Madankollu, residenti, bdiewa u attivistiiwaqqfu x-xogħlijiet temporanjament permezz ta’ azzjoni diretta.

Issa, mitt persuna taw isimhom biex juru l-appoġġ tagħhom għall-Ordni għall-Ħarsien tas-Siġar, li tinnomina ż-żona bħala Żona ta’ Preservazzjoni tas-Siġar, peress li s-siġar u ż-żona fejn jinstabu jissodisfaw numru ta’ kriterji meħtieġa sabiex tingħata din il-protezzjoni, u dan għaliex:

• Is-siġar għandhom iktar minn 300 mitt sena u tħawwlu fi żminijiet il-Kavallieri ta’ San Ġwann;
• Huma maġenb għelieqi ODZ li jinħartu u b’hekk jipprovdu nutrijenti essenzjali għall-ħamrija għar-raba’;
• Is-sistema ta’ għeruq estensivi tagħhom tikkontribwixxi biex tnaqqas l-erożjoni tal-ħamrija li għal darb’oħra hija essenzjali għall-għelieqi fil-viċin;
• Hemm bosta spieri, magħmula mijiet ta’ snin ilu, li huma marbutin mal-għeruq tas-siġar taħt il-ħamrija li jintużaw sal-lum biex isaqqu l-għelieqi, u li jkunu fil-periklu ta’ ħsara irreparabbli jekk dawn is-siġar jinqerdu;
• Jipprovdu kopertura tar-riħ meħtieġa għall-għelieqi fil-viċinanza;
• Il-bijodiversità li evolviet matul il-mijiet ta’ snin mas-siġar infushom qatt ma tista’ tiġi sostitwita billi tħawwel siġar ta’ ftit żmien bħala kumpens;
• Is-siġar jinsabu eżatt ħdejn knisja Skedata ta’ Grad 1 mill-1500 u għalhekk huma kulturalment u storikament sinifikanti;
• Is-siġar jirrappreżentaw waħda mill-ftit żoni msaġġra li fadal f’Ħad-Dingli, raħal rurali li qed isir dejjem aktar urbanizzat. Dawn is-siġar jipprovdu dell, kenn, u ħafna iktar lin-nies kollha li jaħdmu u jgħixu fiż-żona.

Bosta entitajiet ħarġu kontra l-qtugħ ta ’dawn is-siġar prezzjużi, inklużi l-bdiewa taż-żona, ir-residenti taż-żona, il-Kummissjoni tal-Wirt Kulturali Kattoliku (KPKK), il-Kummissjoni Ambjentali Interdjoċesana (KA), kif ukoll diversi NGOs li iddikjaraw li “l-proġett imur kontra l-għanijiet tal-Politika Rurali peress li jhedded l-għixien tal-bdiewa.”

Aħna nitolbu lill-ERA biex tqis dawn il-punti kollha u biex tagħti lil dawn is-siġar il-protezzjoni li tant ħaqqhom, mhux biss għall-fini tas-siġar, iżda għall-fini tal-bdiewa li jaħdmu fiż-żona, u għar-residenti ta’ Ħad-Dingli, sabiex huma u l-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri jkomplu jgawdu dawn is-siġar għas-snin li ġejjin.