We need a proper urban tree management and planting planYesterday Sandra Gauci, ADPD Chairperson and Dr Ralph Cassar, Secretary General, and both candidates for the European Parliament met Martin Galea De Giovanni, Director and Dr Suzanne Maas, climate coordinator for Friends of the Earth Malta.

Various themes were discussed including the work of the Greens in the European Parliament and various other themes including the need for a fast transition towards renewable energy, pollution, sustainable mobility, land speculation and sustainable farming.The programme announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, of donating olive and orange trees to local councils, was also discussed. Ralph Cassar, speaking from experience serving as a local councillor, said the project will not succeed unless investment is first made in proper planting infrastructure for trees in urban areas. He said that a proper plan and technical assistance is imperative rather than just the donation of trees. “The difficulty is not buying or acquiring trees but to ensure that first properly planned tree pits are built, of the right depth and size for the trees and our streets. It would be useless and a waste of money if trees were planted in pots or in unprofessional ‘holes in the ground’. For trees to grow into big, healthy, mature and functional trees it takes a lot more than digging holes and just planting them. Either things are done professionally or else this project will end up just another photo-op.”***Hemm bżonn investiment f’infrastuttura sura għas-siġar urbaniIlbieraħ Sandra Gauci, Chairperson u Dr Ralph Cassar, Segretarju Ġenerali ta’ ADPD, u t-tnejn kandidati għall-Parlament Ewropew iltaqgħu ma’ Martin Galea De Giovanni, Direttur u Dr Suzanne Maas kordinatur dwar il-klima ta’ Friends of the Earth Malta. Ġew diskussi diversi temi fosthom il-ħidma tal-Ħodor fil-Parlament Ewropew u diversi temi fosthom il-bżonn ta’ mixja mgħaġġla lejn enerġija rinovabbli, t-tniġġis, il-mobilità sostenibbli f’Malta u fl-Unjoni Ewropea, l-ispekulazzjoni tal-art u l-biedja.Ġie diskuss ukoll il-programm li ħabbar il-Ministeru tal-Biedja li jagħti s-siġar taż-żebbuġ u l-larinġ lill-Kunsilli Lokali. Ralph Cassar qal li mill-esperjenza tiegħu bħala kunsillier, il-proġett mhux se jirnexxi jekk l-ewwel ma jsirx investiment f’infrastruttura sura għal siġar fiż-żoni urbani. Qal li hemm bżonn pjan u għajnuna teknika biex isiru konok kif suppost b’mod professjonali u addattati għat-toroq tagħna. “Id-diffikultà mhux ix-xiri jew l-akkwist tas-siġar imma li jsiru konok kif suppost, tad-daqs u l-fond li suppost . L-ewwel għandha ssir infrastruttura sura imbagħad jitħawwlu s-siġar. Ikun inutli u ħela ta’ flus jekk jitħawwlu siġar fi qsari jew f’konok ta’ kafkaf u mingħajr il-fond meħtieġ għal siġar urbani. Jew isir xogħol professjonali jew inkella kollox għar-ritratti u l-pożi biss.”