EkoSkola Malta

Students out to send a strong message

On Tuesday 10^th January 2012, The Times of Malta carried a heading ‘Trees being stolen almost as fast as they are planted’. 64 young Aleppo pines were planted on the road from Rabat leading to Buskett. 50 had been stolen within two days. New trees were planted to replace them and yet again another 16 were stolen. Little do the culprits know that these trees were partially funded from the pocket money of students.

In April of last year a FUN RUN event was organised by the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs with the collaboration of Nature Trust Malta through its EkoSkola and YRE (Young Reporters for the Environment) programmes. During this event, students from; Maria Regina College St Paul’s Bay Primary, St Thomas More College Boys’ Secondary School Paola, St Clare College Pembroke Primary, Thi Lakin School Attard, St Francis School Birkirkara, San Gorg Preca College Boys’ Secondary School Marsa, St Nicholas College Girls’ Secondary School Rabat, St Clare College Boys’ Secondary School Sliema donated the money raised in their respective schools to the 34U campaign to further sustain afforestation projects around the Maltese islands. The donations were in fact used to plant these Aleppo pine trees mentioned in the article.

On Thursday 19^th January 2012, students from the same schools participated in a tree planting session on the same stretch of road leading to Buskett, on a bid to send a strong message. They planted new Aleppo pine trees to replace the ones that were stolen and tagged them with their school names. Personnel from the PARKS department were also present to assist and provide useful information about the upkeep and aftercare of the young saplings. The tree planting event was followed by a short address and guided tour of part of Buskett woodland. The event was organised during Arbor week with the collaboration of the the PARKS department within the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs, the  Arbor Committee and Nature Trust Malta through its recently introduced FEE programme; LEAF - Learning about Forests.