Can Malta double his glued land? Project Healing takes rooting – Malta times

The main initiative is rooted in Malta, and ambitiously seeking to double the glued land on the island over the next 15 years.

Antoine Galea, founder of Garland’s landscaping, speaks with Malta times From a quiet field five minutes by car from the church bridge. Although so close to the iconic landmark, the area is surprisingly calm and lavish. Along with its specialized team, Galea Vis plants 500 local trees, including Carob, pomegranate and chaste trees.

The ultimate goal of the project, Project Heal, is for 10 to 15 years to double Malta’s glued land, Halea said.

At 0.9 %, Malta rests firmly at the bottom of the icy land diagram in the EU, but Galea hopes to see this figure jump to 1.8 percent.

“This is a huge endeavor. We are talking about 2.84 million square meters and about 177,000 trees. “

The project started with the participation of Galea in NGO Beesavers Malta. He explained that bees depend on a stable source of pollen and nectar that the trees can provide. Otherwise, the bees will not survive.

The box in the bridge is used as a self -funded pilot project to prove that large afforestation is possible in Malta.

“We use the path of nature, such as improper planting, irrigation, fed with gravity and local species,” Galea said. By accepting these techniques, he and his team were able to keep the costs “very, very low”.

He hopes the project will create spaces where people can enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

“This is not a short -term project, but the one that lasts forever.”

The field in the bridge

As Glea was talking, a young boy approached the field excitedly to talk to him. The child was part of Green Living, an outdoor school that provides an alternative to traditional preschool education. Guided by Nadine Davis, the school is located on the same plot of land.

Initially, Galea joined the school, which taught the children about bees and permaculture.

The land used for the project was hired by Davis, who has the owner’s approval to allow Galea to plant trees. Galea hopes that the success of the pilot project in the bridge will inspire other landowners who have so many land that they do not know what to do with it to collaborate.

“This is not a case of donating your land,” he explained, “and soon to have an agreement for about five to 10 years.”

He wants free land use to plant his trees. Galea was not worried about the long -term result of such a short agreement, saying, “I think you’ll have to be heartless to cut them after I see how beautiful it will be.”

A worker who plants a sapling.

Asked about Project Green – the government’s initiative to integrate more greenery into urban areas – Galea said his project would “complement the Green project perfectly”. He praised the initiative to improve urban spaces, but defined the project of healing as “full antithesis. We are looking Odz, far away.

Who wants to come here must be ready for the walk and we need large sections of land for afforestation.

Galea estimates that the project will cost about 15 million euros, which equals approximately 85 euros per tree. He calls on landowners, professionals and the public to help.

“We need dedicated people who love their country,” he said, attractive for skills such as physical labor, legal expertise or architecture. It is also open to cooperation with companies and businesses to guarantee the success of the project.

Project Heal is organized by Garland Landscapers in partnership with Beesavers Malta and Suzie Samut Tagliaferro from Garden Studio. Those interested in joining the effort can contact Galea at [email protected].

A worker with Mosta Rotunda in the background.